by They say that life is a beach, but whoever shaped this sentence has probably not examined today’s economic and political landscape – or they had an incredible sense of humor. Similar to the artists at this year’s Australian Sandbiltschmirsche championships, which for the first time since 2019 returned to Frankshore south of Melbourne.
This year’s event had a playful attitude of our polarization times. His topic is “The Billains of StoryTime”, and sculptor reacted with huge sand-made representations of familiar witches and wolves from the Fairytales and Disney films. If you look around, visitors can see a big bad wolf, Ursula from the little mermaid and a mythical siren who calls for unsuspecting seafarers.
The sand sculpture by the Tasmanian artist Meg Murray, Screech of the Sea, won this year’s singles category. Her sculpture won points for his “undeniable villain,” said judge Kylie Stillman, who, as part of a jury jury, achieved sand creations on originality, compliance with the topic and technical skills.
“The sand was used so that we all felt that we were almost impossible and very risky,” said Stillman.
The championships are an opportunity for artists to show their skills at speed. If a sand sculpture can take up to two weeks for the conditions for the outer competition to be perfected, artists will receive just over two days to complete their creations in the championships.
Jim McCauley, who took part in sandbilter competitions worldwide, said: “It’s a meditative practice … You are only present with the sand.”
Visitors seemed just as fascinated. Many people stood by on the opening weekend to watch artists turn the tons of the block sand of the construction company into sculptures.
Yves Radts, who won the main prize in 2019, called his creation Mirror Mirror, who showed the witch of Snow White with a poisoned apple. He received third place.
The Australian event is relatively young compared to others. Compared to international competitions, the Australian event is more fun, said Radts. “It’s a bit more cartoon -like, people want to recognize things.”
The 72 -year -old gold artist Jino R van Bruinessen was the oldest competitor this year. His sand sculpture came from Tengu, a supernatural demon or goblin in the Japanese folklore.
The standard of sculptures in Australia has increased “clearly” in the past 10 years, he said, but with the average age of the competitors who appear north of 50 – he would like to see how new blood would try out the art form.
Will this competition be last with a punitive schedule of up to 10 hours a day? “It is very exhausting on the body,” he said. “But ask me again after I had some rest.”
In contrast to beach sand, the mason sand used by competitors is compact and easier to shape. Individual competitors start with a block of 10 tons of sand, and the double teams get 25 tons.
The first competitor Josiah “Jazza” Brooks, 35, competed with little existing experience this year. He formulated Marvel Universe villain, which he described as “bombastic”. He was not worried if his last sculpture did not meet the standard of long -time sculptors. It is even more important that the competition was an opportunity to work together with experienced competitors and to learn from them.
“There is nothing to lose if you try it,” he said. “It’s easier than I thought and it’s easy to try.”
