Residents of the small fishing town of Pasni in the rugged Balochistan province are bewildered to witness something they’ve never seen before: 3D sand art.
The appealing 3D artworks have been created by three friends — Zubair Mukhtar, Hussain Zeb and Bahar Ali — who have transformed Gwadar’s beach into sprawling canvases.
They claim to be the first artists to introduce 3D sand art in Pakistan at the Juddi beach.
The artists, making use of the contrast in light, have created work that appeared almost life-like when photographed or seen from a distance. The fun optical illusions and 3D images on the beach have bewildered and delighted many passers-by.
The art objects include houses with sloping rooftop, traditional doorways, water bottles, cylinders, dice, and a well. The interesting fact is that no fancy tools were used to create these amazing pieces as the artists only used sticks.
Sand art is a hobby for the trio who have now decided to share their creativity with the world by sharing photos and video on the internet.
Mukhtar is an art teacher at a government school who started beautifying the Gwadar beaches ever since he discovered his passion for outdoor sculpting.
“There are two types of sculpting that can be done with sand. One is simply moulding sand to create objects and the other is 3D drawings. This skill has been demonstrated on the beaches of many countries, from Europe to New Zealand. And today we have been able to present it in Balochistan,” Mukhtar said in an interview with local media.
What many do not realise is that creating sand art is a race against the tide as the masterpieces are washed away by the sea within hours. The sculptor, however, says that the evanescence nature of the artwork makes it even more challenging and exciting.
The photos of the artist friends, posing with the sand art, were widely shared on social media where people from all across the country appreciated the creative effort by the young men. “The sand art on the beach of Pasni is a proof that Balochistan is more than a story of bullets and blasts,” Atif Ansari said.
With this sand art, the local artists have not only put their creativity on display but also highlighted the beautiful beaches and rich culture of Pakistan’s largest province of Balochistan, which is known more often for its political and social turmoil.
The three friends hope to exhibit their skills in different regions of Pakistan as well as around the world.