The Hindu : National : Saying it with sand

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Jun 08, 2004

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National

Saying it with sand

By Prafulla Das

PURI, JUNE 7 . A sculpture put up on the beach here by the 27-year-old sand artist Sudarsan Patnaik, depicting the inhuman behaviour of the U.S.-led coalition forces towards the Iraqi prisoners, drew large crowds on Sunday.

The six-foot sculpture, titled `World Peace and Human Dignity,' showed two shackled hands emerging from the sands and the chains held by a U.S. soldier and a heap of Iraqi prisoners. Tiny placards were placed near the sculpture with slogans such as `protect human rights,' `we condemn inhumanity' and `actions unimaginable' "I am not condemning the U.S. or supporting Iraq. I depicted the torture of the Iraqi prisoners at the hands of the U.S. soldiers to underline the need for protection of human rights and peace in the world," said Mr. Patnaik. He has expressed concern for similar issues through his sculptures such as `attack on World Trade Centre,' `killing of Olive Ridley turtles' and `Capture of Saddam.'

Mr. Patnaik has so far visited 21 countries to make sculptures in sand in various festivals and competitions and has won prizes in Spain, China and Germany. He bagged the prestigious people's choice award for his 20-foot sculpture titled `Ganesh visiting Berlin' at the International Sand Sculpture Competition in Berlin last year. He has been invited to participate in the Berlin competition later this month.

Mr. Patnaik was assisted by the students of the Golden Sand Art Institute, which he founded in 1995 on the Puri beach.

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