VELLORE : Carving shapes out of sand is his passion, and when he follows his heart, a spectacle is born. Meet 51-year-old Paul Hoggard from UK who is presently camping at VIT university to teach students sand art. He terms India as his favourite, for the country is the spiritual storehouse of sand art.
“Sand sculpture has more to do with spirituality and cosmic energy,” the sculptor said. The workshop is being conducted by Paul and his wife Remy as part of the ongoing four-day Riviera Festival.
The response from the part of students seems overwhelming, as nearly 400 to 500 have tried their hands at sand sculpting. Paul has sculpted a huge lion in sand and has named it after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “Lion is gentle, graceful but fearsome. And, Modi is the Lion of India,” he noted.
Around 23 tons of sand have been brought from the rivers in Andhra Pradesh for the workshop. “All of us have the urge to play with sand right from our childhood, which is natural. And, if this urge could be channelised, anyone can be a good sculptor,” he said. When he was in Goa in 1991, he let himself loose to make the first sand sculpture in the beach which had become an instant hit.
Six years ago, Paul had come to VIT for the same Riviera festival to teach sand art, which also became very popular among the students. Building on the success of his workshop at VIT, he later organised an international sand sculpture festival at Puri in Odisha. “Sand art was used as a healing technique on those suffering from trauma during the First World War in the UK,” he recalled.
Paul pointed out, when someone makes an art or sculpture in sand, he or she gets a sense of achievement. “This also gives them relaxation or a soothing feeling and calms down people. It does not involve much of technology, but it is like yoga,” he said showing some of the tools he used for sculpting such as small spoons, brushes, knives, water sprayer, blow pipe and the like.
His wife Remy (46), an engineer by profession, works with him “to learn the journey of life through sculpting”. She believes, the sand art is her way to reconnect with the nature.