Awesome Displays of Temporary Land Art

Artist Andres Amador shows us the art of letting go through his awesome displays of temporary land art.  Andres Amador is a man who adds new layers of meaning to the artistic and creative process. The San Francisco-based Earthscape artist creates magical artwork on the sandy beaches of his home city, knowing full well that all of his efforts will begin to be wiped out within seconds of their creation. With the rake as his tool and the beach as his ready-made blank canvas, Amador moves his body in harmony to the lines he is carving. He drags the rake by his side, and the sound of the tide surging in and out is a constant reminder that time is ticking. Time and impermanence are constant themes in Amador’s artwork. His designs wash away almost as soon as they take form. In the end, a photograph and a moment to appreciate his art is all Amador needs before walking away and “letting it go.” For him, it is more about the process and less about the result; he truly values the act of creation and becoming less goal-oriented. Below: Mandala- guided group Playa Painting timelapse “The only constant in this existence is impermanence. In the end, our lives are about the experiences we’ve had, not the things we have held onto. And in the face of certain erasure, in the face of our own personal, inevitable demise, the act of rallying forces on behalf of creation and beauty is a declaration of one’s existence in the face of a seemingly indifferent ocean of reality. I really like the metaphor — it encourages and propels me,” Amador said. Below: Andres Amador’s Earthscapes: Art that Goes Out with the Tide His inspiration Amador takes inspiration from everything he observes, from canvas store to water bottle designs, to earrings worn by people he sees, prints on shirts, and patterns of nature. These are all starting points of an exploration that evolves into its own thing, as the sand becomes his big doodle pad. At times, he works with highly geometric/fractal patterns that are precise in perfection, using a rope as a compass to ensure accuracy. Other times, his art is more organic, with sand paintings that look like the art itself is emerging out of the location. By raking up wet sand at low tide, he is able to create contrasting colors. Below: Beach Art of Andres Amador He does preliminary sketches before creating the artwork, and uses a quadrocopter to capture aerial photographs of his work from an elevated height to document and “preserve” his art. Amador’s sand paintings touch people in many ways. If you live in San Francisco, you might just be lucky enough to see his wonderful and beautiful work for yourself. Amador knows his art will be temporary, and he is able to engage himself in the process of creation. For us viewers, his artwork is telling us the story of our lives. The impermanence makes people pay attention, because just like in our everyday lives, something that we know won’t last long makes us focus on it more and appreciate its beauty. Perhaps that’s why I call his artwork magical, because these works of sand destined to be washed away can teach us about the process of art/design (and life!) in so many ways. Recommended reading: Environmental Art: Contemporary Art in the Natural World 2015 Wall Calendar  by Amber Lotus Publishing Article written by Win Phyo Featured image: Printscreen Youtube (Source)