Are the sculptures made of sand and water only?
Yes, the only materials involved are sand and water. One of the crucial moments in the process is when the sand is being put in wood lagging and strongly compacted with the help of construction machinery. Afterwards, the sand can be worked with as though it was a soft stone.

Where does the sand come from?
Choosing the sand isn’t easy and we do it with great accuracy. Among the important factors are the chemical composition, the sand grain’s profile as well as its colour and pureness. For years, SANDSATION has been getting its high-quality sand from Niederlehme in Brandenburg. As the digging continues, samples are taken on a regular basis to keep control over the material.

Does rain destroy the sculptures?
Far from it! The sand sculptures benefit from the moisture. It prevents from erosion, which is the displacement of the sand by wind. A heavy shower, however, can carve patterns into the smooth surfaces.

What about hail?
There will be no hail.
In the unlikely event of hail, our highly professional mending team makes sure the sculptures get smoothed out as quickly as possible. Let’s just say, we really don’t want any hail…

Can the world class carvers make a living from their art?
Some can. Sudarsan Pattnaik, for example, is likely to be Asia’s most renowned carver. For many years, he has been running the Golden Sand Academy in Puri where up to 70 students from all over the world can complete a course over two years and become professional sand carvers. A lot of the other carvers work as set designers, restorers or sculptors. Creating sand sculptures is attractive to them because it makes their work more diverse.

How long is a sculpture’s life span?
If meticulously created and looked after, depending on the weather, the sculptures exist for about 10 – 14 weeks. Under good conditions some sculptures even live for more than half year. When built indoors they can exist for years.

Who invented sand sculptures in their current form?
That’s hard to say. In the late sixties Californian beach boys started experimenting with sand, using it as a material. Gary Kirk made some key developments regarding the technique in the seventies and also made it more professional. He is the Nestor of the scene and taught Martin Tulinius, artistic director of SANDSATION, his skilful craft.

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