Throughout history, individuals have left their marks in the sand for various reasons. Some find it a calming and reflective activity, while others simply want to leave their signature on a beach during a vacation. However, for Nathaniel Alapide, an artist from the Philippines residing in Dubai, it became his path to achieving a Guinness World Record.
With Dubai's expansive 72-kilometer (45-mile) coastline and the vast Arabian desert as his canvas, Alapide uses a humble garden rake to create immense calligraphic strokes each morning. Prior to beginning his work, he carefully assesses the weather, wind, and tide conditions. The designs he crafts are intricate and grand, spanning across the beaches and deserts, but are ultimately ephemeral, fading away with the forces of wind and waves.
Alapide approaches his work with the mindset of wielding a brush, focusing on the angle and movement of the rake to produce different strokes and varying line thicknesses. On average, his drawings cover an area of approximately 20 square meters (66 square feet). Sometimes he completes a piece within an hour, while other times he devotes hours each day to create more elaborate compositions.
When incorporating written messages, Alapide's sand art can extend beyond 100 meters in length.
Alapide's journey into sand art began in 2014 when he commemorated his late grandmother by sketching a tree on Umm Suqeim Beach, situated near the iconic Jumeirah Beach Hotel known for its distinctive wave-like architecture.