Amazing Sand Sculptures by Ray Villafane

While Ray Villafane is best known for his expertise in the art of food carving, he is also recognized for his magnificent, remarkably realistic sand sculptures. Using just sand and water, the artist sculpts incredibly detailed figures that tower above him as he works. Funny-faced people, nativity scenes, and hellish creatures from Dante’s Inferno appear so life like that it’s hard to believe they were formed from humble grains of sand. 

Villafane only began sand sculpting in 2008 after accepting a challenge in Jesolo, Italy.

Despite not having any experience working with the medium, he wowed viewers with his exceptional craft, and since then has received invitations from all over the world to take on new sand sculpting projects.

Visit www.villafanestudios.com for more!

Gravity-Defying Stone Balancing Art By Michael Grab

Canada-born and Colorado-based artist and photographer Michael Grab is a master of stone balancing. Perhaps magician’s a better word for it, actually, as it’s difficult to comprehend how he could have created his graceful works of balance art.

Fortunately, Grab’s videos shows the artist engage in the meditative process behind these works of art, which require enormous amounts of patience and care.

“Over the past few years of practicing rock balance, simple curiosity has evolved into therapeutic ritual, ultimately nurturing meditative presence, mental well-being, and artistry of design,” writes Grab on his artist statement. “Alongside the art, setting rocks into balance has also become a way of showing appreciation, offering thanksgiving, and inducing meditation.”

More info: gravityglue.com | Facebook | Vimeo | Twitter

INTERSECTIONS | ANILA QUAYYUM AGHA

Winner of both the public and juried vote of Artprize 2014, Pakistani artist Anila Quayyum Agha exercises the architecture of the Grand Rapids Art Museum in Michigan by infilling it with a dynamic interplay of shadow and light. Intersections comprises a 6.5 foot laser-cut wooden cube pierced with carefully crafted patterns and illuminated from the inside, which casts expansive, lace-like geometries onto the surrounding walls, ceiling and floor.

Single light bulb, 6.5′ Square cube / Cast shadows – 32′x34′

via Feel Design

'Continuum of Consciousness' Installation Made of Crystal Glasses by Linda Sim Solay

     In this life I believe that people who devote himself to the positive things, and do it consciously, having an invisible light that emanates from the body, either downward (into the earth) and up (to the sky), no end. But I do not know how to visualize it until I saw an exhibition pamphlet, mentioned Continuum of Consciousness by Linda Sim Solay.

Source: http://fatumbrutum.blogspot.com/

With great curiosity, I decided to come to the exhibition held in the auditorium of the Institute Français Indonesia (located in Bandung, West Java - Indonesia), 12-25 October 2012, to see if this is the visualization of what I mean.

At the entrance I met the curator, Roy Voragen from Roma Arts. He gave me a leaflet containing information about the work being exhibited in the room. I intentionally do not directly read the details of this installation, just to make sure I will react spontaneously and not "intimidated" by what is supposed to be felt. A room with dim light around. Immediately my mind focused into crystal glasses which are glued together, forming a pillar in front of me. Flanked by two round mirrors on the top and the base with pieces of broken glass around, complementing this arrangement as if it's endless. The light shines in the glass at the base, with a particular dynamics.

”The created space can be perceived as a continuum, allowing for both focus and contemplation of its personal experience, without sensory starting- or endpoints. Notably, the very nature of a continuum lies beyond intellectual analysis.” -Linda

If I am allowed to describe what I see beyond what I have seen, this installation lock both energy derived from the material used, the room around, or even the energy carried by the visitors. It feels like there is a vortex of energy, such as fog, in the room that surrounds the pillar as its center. Me myself imagine that pillar is a man meditating with high concentration within, constantly sitting in the middle of a dynamic vortex energy. Physically, this installation makes me a little headache, probably due to the effect of scent, or perhaps even the existence of discrepancies in the energy that we both have. 

Source: http://www.lindasim.com/

At the end of my visit, I realized the existence of the benches around me is part of the installation. Take a sit and dwell on it, become one with the energy in the crystal glasses to feel the effect in more optimal, and you will not have a headache as I have. Well, whether this is a visualization what I mean or not, this 'Continuum of Consciousness' installation has given a spiritual experience, even though for just a moment.

About the artist...

Linda Sim Solay is a Swedish-Austrian artist whose practice in fine art photography and installation focuses on psychological evolutionary thematics and contemporary physics. Her work is orientated around shaping audience-internal atmosphere and potential for perceptive immersion. She has exhibited internationally in numerous solo, collaborative and group exhibitions; framed by extensive travels and artist residencies. Linda earned her BA in Media Arts from RMIT in Melbourne under Dr. Les Walkling in 2005 and is currently studying for her MA researching Scent Art at Lasalle College of the Arts, Singapore. http://www.lindasim.com/