This artist sets records by transforming the beaches of Dubai into his artistic playground

Throughout history, people have left their marks in the sand—whether for reflection or simply to claim a spot. For Nathaniel Alapide, a Filipino artist based in Dubai, it's how he became a Guinness World Record holder.

With Dubai's 72 kilometers of coastline and the sprawling Arabian desert as his backdrop, Alapide’s creations come to life. Armed with only a garden rake, he meticulously crafts vast, intricate designs on the sands each morning, depending on the weather, wind, and tides. These colossal artworks are temporary, often swept away by the elements.

“I envision the rake as a brush,” he explains. “The angle at which it’s held determines the stroke, allowing me to create lines of varying thickness.”

Alapide’s typical works span around 20 meters squared. “Some pieces take me an hour to complete,” he shares. “Other times, I might spend hours over several days, perfecting a piece.”

When Alapide incorporates written words, his creations can stretch over 100 meters in length.

Alapide’s journey into sand art began in 2014, when he carved a tree design on Umm Suqeim Beach as a tribute to his late grandmother, with the iconic Jumeirah Beach Hotel’s wave-shaped silhouette in the background.

The monumental scale of his artwork caught the attention of the hotel, leading to his first full-time position as a sand artist in 2015.

Since then, Alapide has created nearly 1,900 sand drawings across the UAE. His work has attracted commissions from top brands like Burberry and Adidas, and he even contributed to National Geographic’s “The UAE from Above” series.

In a unique collaboration, the UAE government commissioned Alapide to transform a beach into a public service announcement during the pandemic, displaying the hashtag “#STAY HOME” in giant letters visible from the sky.

A fleeting art form

In 2022, Alapide achieved a new milestone by creating the world’s largest sand artwork, spanning over 23,000 square meters (250,000 square feet). Commissioned by the Abu Dhabi Aviation Club, it depicted the rulers of the UAE and took 30 days to complete, using 12,000 tons of sand in four distinct colors sourced from across the UAE desert.

Although he has built a career around it, Alapide admits that creating art from sand presents its own set of challenges.

On the 20th day of working on the world-record artwork, Alapide’s progress was nearly 70% complete when a sudden storm hit. “It started raining, and the wind was so strong it wiped out almost the entire piece,” he recalled.

“That’s what draws me to this type of work,” he said. “It’s temporary, fleeting. It’s become a ritual for me, almost like morning prayers. I create something in the morning, and by evening, the tide washes it away.”

Alapide believes the impermanence of his art serves as a reminder of the constant changes happening around us, particularly in a rapidly evolving city like Dubai.

“When people experience the sand art, they witness both its beauty and its transience,” Alapide explained. “The beauty is in the creation, and the loss is felt when it’s erased by the tide.”

“Creating sand art is a powerful way to connect with others,” he said. “I enjoy observing how people engage with the art, and I’ve noticed that children tend to notice the drawings more than adults. I believe it’s because they’re more attuned to their surroundings. Adults, on the other hand, can become distracted by the busyness of life.”