Dubai-based Filipino Artist pays tribute to Queen Elizabeth II with his Sand Art on UAE shores

As Queen Elizabeth II has been laid to rest now, a Filipino sand artist currently based in Dubai has created a portrait of the longest-serving British monarch in her youth on UAE shores.

The artist used a garden rake as his drawing tool and the white sands of Pacific Al Marjan Island in Ras Al Khaimah as his canvas. Nathaniel Alapide created a huge portrait of the young queen that is 15 m x 8 m in size.

Alapide told Gulf News that “it was my way of paying respect to someone who the British and many people around the world have looked up to, and the Queen has also reminded me of my late grandmother, who inspired me to become an artist,”

For the artist to finish his sand art it took two hours of work. As soon as he woke up at dawn, he had to check the tide forecast before starting his artwork on the beach.

The tides were so high at the shore that the waves immediately eroded a portion of the portrait within a few hours after he finished his work. Alapide says that the beauty of Sand Art is not just in creating it but also living in the moment, the impermanence of the art is what makes it special. He feels that his artwork might be fleeting but it is also always gratifying. He also says that the tide may wash away the entire art but it also makes a platform to create a new piece of art the very next day.

Nathaniel Alapide is a record holder with countless sand arts, including some larger-than-life recreations of famous paintings such as the Mona Lisa. Some of his works are commissioned by big brands, like Nike, Burberry, and the design company Palmwood. He previously worked as a resident sand artist at two luxury hotels in Dubai but is currently doing freelance work.

“it was my way of paying respect to someone who the British and many people around the world have looked up to, and the Queen has also reminded me of my late grandmother, who inspired me to become an artist,”