New York-based visual artist Joe Mangrum creates colorful sand paintings on the floor that exhibit spectacular designs. Each improvised creation is a spontaneous work of art that Mangrum produces entirely by hand. Each mound of the pigmented grains are poured from the palm of his hand in spiraling, spiking, and swooping patterns that evoke a sense of rhythm.
Typically taking six to eight hours to complete each of his pieces, which he refers to as “a visual rebellion of the urban grid,” Mangrum has produced over 650 public sand paintings since 2009. Each creation is an organic work that takes inspiration from the world around him. He says, “Visually, I combine elements from contemporary art, culture and technology to find the common ground from which to communicate our collective interdependence, as we are moving into the 21st century.”
Check out a time-lapse video of Mangrum creating one of his incredibly intricate sand paintings, below.
