It's sweating and carving - and all in the sand. For an exhibition in Ludwigsburg, artists work for days on their fragile works. The "sand art" always has a motto, this time it's going far away.
Ludwigsburg (dpa/lsw) - Sometimes they create a zoo, sometimes a whole plant universe or a fairytale garden - and everything is built from and on sand. This year, the "Sand Art" exhibition at the Blühendes Barock in Ludwigsburg invites you on a "journey through Europe". From Saturday (July 2nd) through August 25th, landmarks such as Paris' Eiffel Tower, Rome's Colosseum and Greek temples will be carved and sculpted by international artists. According to the organizers on Friday, half of the figures will be ready for the opening, another four pieces will be created directly on Saturday. Local artists complement the collection of figures.
A "speed carving contest" - a timed competition - is also planned for this weekend, in which the sand artists have 24 hours to build their works of art.
The sand artists, also called carvers, do not use the normal sand from the beach. "It's very old and has already been washed by the tide," it said one day before the start. "It's about as good for building as trying to stack tennis balls." The sand of the carvers is angular and sharp-edged, the grains of sand can hold each other. 30 tons of sand are used for one figure, sometimes more. Another trick: There are also artists who spray their figures with a protein-based liquid that acts like a skin on the sculptures and protects against heavy rain, among other things.
