Discovery of Desert Breath, the land art work created in 1997 in Egypt
Are you familiar with Land Art? A real trend in contemporary art, Land Art is the only artistic movement where nature is an integral part of the work. By using the framework and materials of nature, Land Art artists expose themselves to creating works that are often ephemeral, mostly subject to natural erosion...
Desert Breath was inspired by this movement, conceived in 1997 by sculptor Danae Stratou, designer Alexandra Stratou and architect Stella Constantinides, Desert Breath still exists today.
Located a few kilometres from the Red Sea coast and in the heart of the Egyptian desert, this work seen from the sky seems to be straight out of a science fiction film!
The total length of the work is 360 m long and 300 m wide. This giant installation of just over 100,000 m² consists of two spirals made of sand and holes. In the past it had a small lake in its centre, which is now dry.
This work of land art was forgotten for years until it was rediscovered on Google Earth! A single click was enough to revive Desert Breath!
Originally, the three artists thought the work would be ephemeral, to everyone's surprise, it does indeed resist the forces of nature. Danae Stratou speaks of spiritual forces to explain this miraculous state of preservation. No doubt, like those that would have preserved the pyramids of Giza?
No idea, but it still floats, according to her, in this place where "the immensity of the sea meets the immensity of the desert, a halo of mystery, which preserves the traces of man from natural erosion. »
It is likely that this impressive work will continue to be talked about, even after years of existence, not only because of its supernatural allure but also because of the mystical side that surrounds it!
Still visible today on Google Earth, Desert Breath is disintegrating over time, this work has also become a tool to measure the passage of time...
Here is the video that presents the project from all angles, from its beginning to its completion:
How to go and see the Desert Breath work?
