Touching hands

He has helped UNICEF produce a five-minute public service sand-art cartoon for broadcast soon in more than 100 countries and regions. Li Jiahang tells Pu Zhendong how he became a sand artist.

Li Jiahang did not think he would become a sand artist when he arrived in Beijing. With 800 yuan ($127) in his pocket, he could only afford to rent a tiny basement cell in Shijingshan district.

Fast forward four years later, 33-year-old Li is now one of the few famous sand artists in China. This year alone, he has held more than 100 performances nationwide, charging an average of 10,000 yuan ($1,600) for a 10-minute live show.

"Sand drawing transforms me from a nobody into a media magnet," Li says in jest. "People start calling me teacher, and that really boosts my confidence."

Among his latest projects is a live sand animation show which he did during a press conference organized by United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund and China Philanthropy Research Institute on Nov 20. The theme was children's rights.

He has also helped UNICEF produce a five-minute public service cartoon, to be broadcast soon in more than 100 countries and regions.

"Li's sand drawing vividly conveys our care for the rights of the children," says Gao Huajun, vice-dean of China Philanthropy Research Institute.

Li's affinity with sand art started in August 2008 when his education training business in Zhejiang province failed. Feeling depressed, he started surfing the Internet and was attracted by a sand-art performance clip.

He watched it more than 10 times and began practicing on his glass coffee table, with a lamp lit from below.

"It was an epiphany of sorts," says Li. "I felt good to be able to do it."

Realizing that sand art is popular only in big cities, he moved to Beijing in December 2008. He found a job in an advertising firm and spent his evenings practicing sand drawing.

Li's knowledge of fine arts made it easier for him to master the medium. He had been trained in painting since he was 10, and in 2006, he graduated from the Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts.

He says the most challenging part of the artistic form is controlling the sand with his hands.

"How one controls the grip will determine the width of the lines that appear on the glass," says Li. "It took me six months of practice to finally be able to draw consistently using sand."

After mastering the art, Li posted some of his works on the Internet. About half a year later, he received a phone call from a real estate company, inviting him to perform a sand animation show for about 500 people.

"I remember clearly how my hands trembled during the 15-minute performance," Li recalls. "But fortunately, the audience liked it very much."

And as the saying goes, the rest is history.

Li has since received many more invites to perform at various functions.

Overwhelmed with the sudden demand, he appointed his then girlfriend Zhang Ying as his agent-cum-secretary. The two were married in December 2010, after Li proposed to Zhang with a romantic sand drawing.

"Friends call us sand lovers," 29-year-old Zhang says.

"Li is a caring gentleman. One thing I admire most about him is, he is very obliging to his clients."

The "sand couple" say they lead a gypsy lifestyle: traveling around the country with their 35-kg sandbox, and putting on sand art shows whenever and wherever there is demand. Since they started, the husband-and-wife team has performed more than 300 live shows, including in the Great Hall of the People and the National Center for the Performing Arts in Beijing.

Li's most challenging live performance was done on a float during the Hong Kong Jockey Club's Spring Festival Parade in February 2010. It was also Li's first outdoor performance.

"My hands had to be still but the float was moving," Li says. "It was difficult to maintain balance."

He completed his task well, sketching a series of Hong Kong landmarks including Victoria Harbor, equestrian events and a Spring Festival greeting. His work was admired by more than 500,000 people.

Apart from commercial shows, Li is also enthusiastic about doing his bit for society. In May 2010, he cooperated with Beijing Fengtai No 1 Kindergarten to start children's sand drawing classes. Li provided training for the teachers.

"Instead of pens and brushes, children can now draw with sand," says Zhu Jiwen, head of the kindergarten. "Sand drawing cultivates children's imagination and creativity."

Sand art has recently been elevated into a serious art genre. In May 2012, China Central Academy of Fine Arts became the first institution in China to include sand drawing in its curriculum.

"To become a mature art form, sand art needs the determination and collaboration of many artists, as well as sufficient theoretical inputs from academia," says Lu Shengzhong, director of School of Experimental Arts at China Central Academy of Fine Arts.

Although there are many sand artists and studios all over the nation, there is no statistic or research done on its current status.

Based on Li's observation, the lack of market information and effective management hamper the growth of the sand-art industry.

"Many unskilled sand drawers perform everywhere to make money," says Li. "But their awful techniques seriously damage the artistic quality and market value of sand art."

Li says sand artists should keep upgrading.

"As a sand artist, you have to keep learning and thinking to make the best of the sand in your hands," Li says.

Contact the writer at puzhendong@chinadaily.com.cn.

(China Daily 11/28/2012 page20)