Lawrence Koh (from Singapore) – International sand art virtuoso specialized in both the visual art and the performing art. Utilizing an awe-inspiring combination of sand, music and light, Lawrence created countless stories as a sand artist during his local and international performances as well as prestigious events.
Imagination is full of colours and surprises. The world is a canvas and we are the artists. Every grain of sand plays a part within every beautiful sand art performance. Every one of us plays a part in creating a world that is beautiful and peaceful. Do not take life for granted.
"All men have limits. They learn what they are and learn not to exceed them. I ignore mine." - Batman
In life we faced lots of challenges, especially for myself be it as a sand artist or simply as a human being. However, we can always take inspiration from heros who simply inspire us to conquer our obstacles and problems as well as our very own limits via our mind, strategy and wisdom! May you be a hero of your own world!
With Gratitude,
Sand Artist Lawrence Koh
—
SAND ARTIST LAWRENCE KOH (Singapore)
Official Site: https://sanddreamer.wordpress.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/SingaporeSandArt
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/LawSinger
Blog: http://singaporesandart.blogspot.sg/
"Great Compassion" - A Guan Yin Sand Art Tribute by Lawrence Koh from Singapore
I hereby prayed that everyone achieved happiness, good health, success, peace and love. Irregardless of who you are, may you be free from all sufferings and attain everlasting happiness... Om Mani Padme Hum ཨོཾ་མ་ཎི་པདྨེ་ཧཱུྃ
Avalokiteśvara, also known as "Guan Yin" (觀音) in Chinese or "Chenrezig" (སྤྱན་རས་གཟིགས་) in Tibetan (Sanskrit: अवलोकितेश्वर lit. "Lord who looks down") is a bodhisattva who embodies the compassion of all Buddhas. Portrayed in different cultures as either male or female, Avalokiteśvara is one of the more widely revered bodhisattvas in mainstream Mahayana Buddhism, as well as unofficially in Theravada Buddhism.
Guan Yin is known for His Great Compassion because anyone who calls out for Guan Yin's assistance will be liberated from any suffering.
Sand Artist Lawrence Koh Performing for the delegates from Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand. They have all happily singed on my sand art to mark an official opening. Great moment!
In a myth of the Luyia people of Kenya in East Africa, the sun and moon were brothers. The moon was older, bigger, and brighter, and the jealous sun picked a fight with him. The two wrestled and the moon fell into mud, which dimmed his brightness. God finally made them stop fighting and kept them apart by ordering the sun to shine by day and the mud-spattered moon to shine by night to illuminate the world of witches and thieves.
As a child, I was deeply moved and inspired by one of the world's greatest artist ever lived - Vincent Van Gogh. I hope you enjoy this personal tribute to Vincent Van Gogh and his incredible artworks through my sand art film. No one can ever replace him and may his artworks be an inspiration and motivation to EVERYONE around the world. Enjoy!
==============================================
Vincent Willem van Gogh (30 March 1853 -- 29 July 1890) was a Dutch post-Impressionist painter whose work, notable for its rough beauty, emotional honesty and bold color, had a far-reaching influence on 20th-century art. After years of painful anxiety and frequent bouts of mental illness, he died aged 37 from a gunshot wound, generally accepted to be self-inflicted (although no gun was ever found). His work was then known to only a handful of people and appreciated by fewer still.
Van Gogh began to draw as a child, and he continued to draw throughout the years that led up to his decision to become an artist. He did not begin painting until his late twenties, completing many of his best-known works during the last two years of his life. In just over a decade, he produced more than 2,100 artworks, consisting of 860 oil paintings and more than 1,300 watercolors, drawings, sketches and prints. His work included self portraits, landscapes, still lifes, portraits and paintings of cypresses, wheat fields and sunflowers.
In March 1886, he moved to Paris and discovered the French Impressionists. Later, he moved to the south of France and was influenced by the strong sunlight he found there. His work grew brighter in color, and he developed the unique and highly recognizable style that became fully realized during his stay in Arles in 1888.
On 22 February 1890, Van Gogh suffered a new crisis that was "the starting point for one of the saddest episodes in a life already rife with sad events". Vincent died in the evening, 29 hours after he apparently shot himself. Theo reported his brother's last words as "The sadness will last forever."
After his death, memorial exhibitions were mounted in Brussels, Paris, The Hague and Antwerp. In the early 20th century, there were retrospectives in Paris (1901 and 1905), and Amsterdam (1905), and important group exhibitions in Cologne (1912), New York (1913) and Berlin (1914). These had a noticeable impact on later generations of artists. By the mid 20th century Van Gogh was seen as one of the greatest and most recognizable painters in history. Together with those of Pablo Picasso, Van Gogh's works are among the world's most expensive paintings ever sold, as estimated from auctions and private sales.
"The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page." - Saint Augustine
My "Around the World" Sand Art Performance!
One thing I love about sand art, it allows me to take the audience on a journey with me. From the deepest corner of the heart to the boundless sky of imaginations.
Happy National Day! May Singapore be prosperous, successful and beautiful! May this beautiful country be blessed with lots of love, kindness and happiness!
“About the Merlion”:
The Merlion is a well known marketing icon of Singapore depicted as a mythical creature with a lion’s head and a body of a fish. It is widely used as a mascot and national personification of Singapore.
Its name combines “mer” meaning the sea and “lion”. The fish body represents Singapore’s origin as a fishing village when it was called Temasek, which means “sea town” in Javanese. The lion head represents Singapore’s original name—Singapura—meaning “lion city” or “kota singa”.
In April 2015, Nepal was hit by the devastating earthquake which killed more than 8000 people, injuring more than 21,000. Thousands of people are still homeless and living under tents due to the horrifying destruction of villages and homes.
With the number of tourists declining due to the aftermath of the earthquake; the tourism industry is still largely affected till today.
This year April 2016, my wish to visit Nepal finally came true due to some very special people. And upon experiencing Nepal for myself in person, I was totally blown away by such magnificently beautiful country! Nepal has some of the most beautiful sceneries, amazing food as well as lots of truly wonderful people! Every corner of Nepal brings a pleasant surprise & it is a country of courage, dedication, love & countless splendid wonders.
Having visited various other countries, there is NO OTHER countries that is able to leave a much greater and deeper impression in me other than the Heavenly Nepal...
VISIT NEPAL! And experience the magic of this extraordinary country like no others!
I love you Nepal! And I will see you again real soon!
This special sand art tribute is specially dedicated to my lovely family & friends in Nepal:
Joanne, Noren, Nirmala, Chet, Deven, Kalpana, Norbu, aunt Budi & uncle Krishna. And finally, two of my most precious brothers - Mingma & Dawa!
Thank you Noren for giving the title of "Heavenly Nepal" to this sand art film!
THANK YOU for all your love! I will NEVER forget each & everyone of you! See you soon!
“I was amazed at your talent and just good you were with your performance. It must have taken many hours of practice.” – Emeritus Senior Minister Mr Goh Chok Tong to Sand Artist Lawrence Koh
Lawrence Koh – International sand art virtuoso and multi-disciplinary artist specialized in both the visual art and the performing art. Utilizing an awe-inspiring combination of sand, music and light, Lawrence has created countless stories as a sand artist during his local and international performances as well as prestigious events such as award ceremonies, official launch, grand opening, dinner & dance, festive celebrations, meetings, seminars and anniversary celebrations. Lawrence’s performance is often graced by foreign delegates, local VIPs and international guests; while also received positive responses from notable guests such as the Former President of Singapore Mr S.R Nathan, Prime Minister Mr Lee Hsien Loong, Emeritus Senior Minister Mr Goh Chok Tong, Mr Teo Chee Hean, Minister Lee Yi Shyan, Minister Heng Swee Keat, Dr Ng Eng Hen, Mr Lawrence Wong, International Model Sonia Couling, Dr Chan Mei Yoke, MP Low Yen Ling and Film Director Eric Khoo.
Some of Lawrence’s notable performances: MSH International Official Thailand Opening, Gourmet Abu Dhabi, Platts Top 250, Monetary Authority of Singapore Inter Central Bank Games, OCBC Regional Seminar, United Engineers 100 Years Anniversary, Shell Groundbreaking Ceremony, National University Health System Charity Gala Dinner at Gardens by the Bay, Lee Ming Wei’s Luminous Depths Installation Opening the Peranakan Museum, NTUC U Picnic, People’s Association’s New Year Countdown, Singapore Turf Club’s SIA Cup, BCA Awards, Institute of Mental Health 85th Anniversary, Kajima 25th Anniversary, Zurich Global Life Awards, BCI Asia Awards, Daido (Japan) 110th Anniversary Commendation Ceremony and many more.
Some of Lawrence’s previous clients: Mandarin Oriental, KFC, Pizza Hut, Panasonic, Singapore Armed Forces, National Heritage Board, Singapore College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, National Arts Council, Lian Beng Group Ltd, 7 Eleven, Abbott, Daikin, Melchers, Singex, National Library Board Singapore, Singapore Expo, Bosch, Ministry of Education, Sentosa, Immigration & Checkpoints Authority, GlaxoSmithKline, National Healthcare Group, Sonangol, Mediacorp.
Being a celebrated artist in Singapore’s entertainment and art scene, Lawrence’s career spans across theatre productions, cultural fusion performances, short films, corporate videos, television programmes, television commercials, documentaries and live concerts. Lawrence was given the honour to have a special collaboration with the renowned Bhaskar’s Arts Academy during their major theatre production “CHAKRA”, featuring a captivating fusion of Indian dance, ballet, live Indian orchestra and sand art. The performance was graced by the presence of former president Mr. S.R Nathan and the tickets sold out completely; receiving standing ovation from the audience. Under National Arts Council’s request and support, “CHAKRA” was restaged once again at the Toa Payoh Amphitheatre with Lawrence being part of the National Arts Council’s “Arts for All” programme. Lawrence’s collaboration journey with Bhaskar’s Arts Academy also includes “Nalanda” a multi-disciplinary theatre production at the Esplanade Theatres on the Bay and “Ramayana” during the Diwali Festival of Lights Performance in Wellington, New Zealand.
Lawrence captivated the audience once again with veteran storyteller Kamini Ramachandran and live fusion musicians (keyboardist Serene, bansuri flutist Ragha and table player Kumaran) during two sold out performances of “Forest Fables” – a multi-disciplinary English theatre production presented by Esplanade Theatres on the Bay. Under the invitation from Esplanade Theatres on the Bay, Lawrence performed his very own live concerts with the amazing “Tze N Looking Glass Orchestra” with talented string ensemble from ACS Independent during “Celebrate December 2013”. The performance was extremely well-received with full house for all three shows. With great excitement, Lawrence was given the honour to collaborate with the Singapore Philharmonic Winds Orchestra during the sold out concert – “Fun with Music” at the Esplanade Concert Hall as a guest soloist performing Eric Whitacre’s “Cloudburst”. Amidst his sand art journey, Lawrence and his sand art has received numerous article features and write-ups on Straits Times, Lian He Zao Bao, Business Times, AsiaOne.com, 8 Days Magazine and Kong Meng San Phor Kark See Monastery’s “Awaken Magazine”.
Lawrence and his sand art were also featured extensively on Singapore’s television programmes. He was featured as a guest artist on Mediacorp Okto channel’s “Art Bites” and “Arts.Music.Performances”; in which he performed his original sand art with DJ Shawn Fluctuate. Subsequently, Lawrence’s sand art also caught the attention of Mediacorp’s “Artless Travelled Season 2” – an award winning international documentary about the lesser seen art forms of Asia, with Lawrence and his performances being featured on the show as one of Singapore’s unique art forms. Other television involvements of Lawrence includes the McDonald’s Wholegrain McMuffin television commercial, Starhub E-City’s television commercials as well as Mediacorp Channel 5 and Suria Channel’s “Remembering SARS” – a telemovie that featured Lawrence’s sand art portraying the stories of Singapore’s battle against SARS.
With great privilege, Lawrence’s original sand animation tribute film to Singapore was featured on Vasantham Central’s Tamil News, Channel NewsAsia’s official Facebook page, as well as Channel NewsAsia’s “Singapore @ 6” and “Singapore Tonight”. On top of that, Lawrence was also invited to be the guest artist on Channel NewsAsia’s “AM Live!” and “Artyfacts”. He is also honored to be invited to perform on Mediacorp Suria Channel’s “Fiesta Muzik” – a prestigious live telecast music concert featuring popular artists from Singapore and Indonesia. Mr Aubeck Kam, Singapore’s Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Communications and Information (MCI) and Dr Basuki Yusuf Iskandar, Indonesia’s Secretary-General of the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology, attended “Fiesta Muzik” as the Guests-of-Honour. “Fiesta Muzik” was broadcasted as a live telecast on Singapore and Indonesia’s TV channels with Lawrence’s performance receiving excellent responses.
-
What is Sand Art?
"In Buddhism, they say attachment to anything only leads to suffering. So when we laugh, it's our way of saying, 'I'm unattached to that.' You're tickled by it, it makes your lobes do something on their own. So humor is very important to me. I always take that to the stage first." - Jason Mraz
Sand animation, also known as sand art, is a term which has two meanings. It is the name given to a style of live performance art and to a type of animation. In the former, an artist creates a series of images using sand, a process which is achieved by applying sand to a surface and then rendering images by drawing lines and figures in the sand with one's hands. A sand animation performer will often use the aid of an overhead projector or lightbox (similar to one used by photographers to view translucent films). In the latter, animators move around sand on a backlighted or frontlighted piece of glass to create each frame for their animated films.
Sand Painting of the World:
Tibet - The Sand Mandala (Tibetan: ???????????, Wylie: dkyil 'khor; Chinese: ???; pinyin: Sha Tánchéng) is a Tibetan Buddhist tradition involving the creation and destruction of mandalas made from colored sand. A sand mandala is ritualistically dismantled once it has been completed and its accompanying ceremonies and viewing are finished to symbolize the Buddhist doctrinal belief in the transitory nature of material life.
Native American - In the sandpainting of southwestern Native Americans (the most famous of which are the Navajo (known as the Diné)), the Medicine Man (or Hatalii) paints loosely upon the ground of a hogan, where the ceremony takes place, or on a buckskin or cloth tarpaulin, by letting the coloured sands flow through his fingers with control and skill. There are 600 to 1,000 different traditional designs for sandpaintings known to the Navajo. They do not view the paintings as static objects, but as spiritual, living beings to be treated with great respect. More than 30 different sandpaintings may be associated with one ceremony.
Indigenous Australian - Indigenous Australian art has a history which covers more than 30,000 years, and a wide range of native traditions and styles. These have been studied in recent decades and their complexity has gained increased international recognition.[2] Aboriginal Art covers a wide variety of media, including sandpainting, painting on leaves, wood carving, rock carving, sculpture, and ceremonial clothing, as well as artistic embellishments found on weaponry and also tools. Art is one of the key rituals of Aboriginal culture. It was and still is, used to mark territory, record history, and tell stories about "The Dreaming".
Japanese tray pictures - From the 15th century in Japan, Buddhist artists in the times of the shoguns practiced the craft of bonseki by sprinkling dry colored sand and pebbles onto the surface of plain black lacquered trays. They used bird feathers as brushes to form the sandy surface into seascapes and landscapes. These tray pictures were used in religious ceremonies. Japanese esoteric Buddhism was transmitted from East Central Asia after the 8th century, and thus these Japanese Buddhist sandpaintings may share earlier historical roots with the more intricate brightly coloured Buddhist sand mandalas created by Tibetan Buddhist monks.
Table decking - During the 17th and 18th centuries, the royal courts of Europe employed "table deckers", who decorated the side tables at royal banquets having adapted the craft of 'bonseki' from the Japanese. The table deckers sprinkled coloured sands, marble dust, sugars, etc. upon the surface of plain white tablecloths to create unfixed pictures of fruit, flowers, birds and rustic scenery. In between each design spaces were left for fruit bowls and sweetmeat dishes so that the diners could refresh themselves in between the main courses of the feast. These ornate pictures were discarded along with the debris of the feast.
Georgian sandpainting - Sandpainting as a craft was inspired by King George III, who was a skilled watchmaker and craftsman in his own right, and took an interest in the skills demonstrated by royal functionaries, known as Table Deckers, who decorated the white table-cloths at royal banquets with ornate centre-pieces decorated by using coloured sands and sugars as 'paint', and a bird's feather as a 'brush' a craft introduced by a European traveller who had observed the craftsmen at work in Japan.
Victorian sand picture souvenirs - Thousands of sites exist where it is possible to collect natural coloured sands for craftwork, with an enormous range of colours being available around the globe varying with the contents of the mineral charged waters leaching through the sands. But for the tourist the vertical sand cliffs at Alum Bay on the Isle of Wight form the central portion of a visual geological phenomenon (best viewed after a shower of rain) which encapsulates the impressive chalk spires of The Needles and Tennyson Downs. Aspiring sand crafters are now banned from risking their lives climbing the cliffs to collect the 21 coloured sands available in the bay, and to prevent excessive damage to the environment, but the sand kiosks have in the past been there to supply their needs.
Senegal - In the 1860s to 1890s Andrew Clemens a deaf mute born in Dubuque, Iowa, USA became famous for his craft of creating unfixed pictures using multicoloured sands compressed inside glass bottles or ornate chemist jars. The sand was collected from the bluffs overlooking the Mississippi. The subjects of his sand bottles included ornately decorated sentimental verses, sailing ships, plants, animals and portraits.
“Your actual enemies are hatred and jealousy in particular. Outer enemies are a temporary illusion arising from a deluded thought. This thought is impermanent. Thoughts come and go. Thus if you do not let go of love, the anger in others will eventually diminish.”
"Life is as dear to a mute creature as it is to man. Just as one wants happiness and fears pain, just as one wants to live and not die, so do other creatures." - His Holiness The Dalai Lama
"When these subtle thoughts of jealousy and pride remain unrecognized, they grow into overwhelming emotions that cling to one's own happiness and to hostility toward others. The root of all this is the grasping at a self. Because we strongly believe in this self, we feel alarmed by everything that threatens it. When others criticize us, we get angry."
“I was amazed at your talent and just good you were with your performance. It must have taken many hours of practice.” – Emeritus Senior Minister Mr Goh Chok Tong to Sand Artist Lawrence Koh
Lawrence Koh – International sand art virtuoso and multi-disciplinary artist specialized in both the visual art and the performing art. Utilizing an awe-inspiring combination of sand, music and light, Lawrence has created countless stories as a sand artist during his local and international performances as well as prestigious events such as award ceremonies, official launch, grand opening, dinner & dance, festive celebrations, meetings, seminars and anniversary celebrations. Lawrence’s performance is often graced by foreign delegates, local VIPs and international guests; while also received positive responses from notable guests such as the Former President of Singapore Mr S.R Nathan, Prime Minister Mr Lee Hsien Loong, Emeritus Senior Minister Mr Goh Chok Tong, Mr Teo Chee Hean, Minister Lee Yi Shyan, Minister Heng Swee Keat, Dr Ng Eng Hen, Mr Lawrence Wong, International Model Sonia Couling, Dr Chan Mei Yoke, MP Low Yen Ling and Film Director Eric Khoo.
Some of Lawrence’s notable performances: MSH International Official Thailand Opening, Gourmet Abu Dhabi, Platts Top 250, Monetary Authority of Singapore Inter Central Bank Games, OCBC Regional Seminar, United Engineers 100 Years Anniversary, Shell Groundbreaking Ceremony, National University Health System Charity Gala Dinner at Gardens by the Bay, Lee Ming Wei’s Luminous Depths Installation Opening the Peranakan Museum, NTUC U Picnic, People’s Association’s New Year Countdown, Singapore Turf Club’s SIA Cup, BCA Awards, Institute of Mental Health 85th Anniversary, Kajima 25th Anniversary, Zurich Global Life Awards, BCI Asia Awards, Daido (Japan) 110th Anniversary Commendation Ceremony and many more.
Some of Lawrence’s previous clients: Mandarin Oriental, KFC, Pizza Hut, Panasonic, Singapore Armed Forces, National Heritage Board, Singapore College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, National Arts Council, Lian Beng Group Ltd, 7 Eleven, Abbott, Daikin, Melchers, Singex, National Library Board Singapore, Singapore Expo, Bosch, Ministry of Education, Sentosa, Immigration & Checkpoints Authority, GlaxoSmithKline, National Healthcare Group, Sonangol, Mediacorp.
Being a celebrated artist in Singapore’s entertainment and art scene, Lawrence’s career spans across theatre productions, cultural fusion performances, short films, corporate videos, television programmes, television commercials, documentaries and live concerts. Lawrence was given the honour to have a special collaboration with the renowned Bhaskar’s Arts Academy during their major theatre production “CHAKRA”, featuring a captivating fusion of Indian dance, ballet, live Indian orchestra and sand art. The performance was graced by the presence of former president Mr. S.R Nathan and the tickets sold out completely; receiving standing ovation from the audience. Under National Arts Council’s request and support, “CHAKRA” was restaged once again at the Toa Payoh Amphitheatre with Lawrence being part of the National Arts Council’s “Arts for All” programme. Lawrence’s collaboration journey with Bhaskar’s Arts Academy also includes “Nalanda” a multi-disciplinary theatre production at the Esplanade Theatres on the Bay and “Ramayana” during the Diwali Festival of Lights Performance in Wellington, New Zealand.
Lawrence captivated the audience once again with veteran storyteller Kamini Ramachandran and live fusion musicians (keyboardist Serene, bansuri flutist Ragha and table player Kumaran) during two sold out performances of “Forest Fables” – a multi-disciplinary English theatre production presented by Esplanade Theatres on the Bay. Under the invitation from Esplanade Theatres on the Bay, Lawrence performed his very own live concerts with the amazing “Tze N Looking Glass Orchestra” with talented string ensemble from ACS Independent during “Celebrate December 2013”. The performance was extremely well-received with full house for all three shows. With great excitement, Lawrence was given the honour to collaborate with the Singapore Philharmonic Winds Orchestra during the sold out concert – “Fun with Music” at the Esplanade Concert Hall as a guest soloist performing Eric Whitacre’s “Cloudburst”. Amidst his sand art journey, Lawrence and his sand art has received numerous article features and write-ups on Straits Times, Lian He Zao Bao, Business Times, AsiaOne.com, 8 Days Magazine and Kong Meng San Phor Kark See Monastery’s “Awaken Magazine”.
Lawrence and his sand art were also featured extensively on Singapore’s television programmes. He was featured as a guest artist on Mediacorp Okto channel’s “Art Bites” and “Arts.Music.Performances”; in which he performed his original sand art with DJ Shawn Fluctuate. Subsequently, Lawrence’s sand art also caught the attention of Mediacorp’s “Artless Travelled Season 2” – an award winning international documentary about the lesser seen art forms of Asia, with Lawrence and his performances being featured on the show as one of Singapore’s unique art forms. Other television involvements of Lawrence includes the McDonald’s Wholegrain McMuffin television commercial, Starhub E-City’s television commercials as well as Mediacorp Channel 5 and Suria Channel’s “Remembering SARS” – a telemovie that featured Lawrence’s sand art portraying the stories of Singapore’s battle against SARS.
With great privilege, Lawrence’s original sand animation tribute film to Singapore was featured on Vasantham Central’s Tamil News, Channel NewsAsia’s official Facebook page, as well as Channel NewsAsia’s “Singapore @ 6” and “Singapore Tonight”. On top of that, Lawrence was also invited to be the guest artist on Channel NewsAsia’s “AM Live!” and “Artyfacts”. He is also honored to be invited to perform on Mediacorp Suria Channel’s “Fiesta Muzik” – a prestigious live telecast music concert featuring popular artists from Singapore and Indonesia. Mr Aubeck Kam, Singapore’s Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Communications and Information (MCI) and Dr Basuki Yusuf Iskandar, Indonesia’s Secretary-General of the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology, attended “Fiesta Muzik” as the Guests-of-Honour. “Fiesta Muzik” was broadcasted as a live telecast on Singapore and Indonesia’s TV channels with Lawrence’s performance receiving excellent responses.
-
What is Sand Art?
"In Buddhism, they say attachment to anything only leads to suffering. So when we laugh, it's our way of saying, 'I'm unattached to that.' You're tickled by it, it makes your lobes do something on their own. So humor is very important to me. I always take that to the stage first." - Jason Mraz
Sand animation, also known as sand art, is a term which has two meanings. It is the name given to a style of live performance art and to a type of animation. In the former, an artist creates a series of images using sand, a process which is achieved by applying sand to a surface and then rendering images by drawing lines and figures in the sand with one's hands. A sand animation performer will often use the aid of an overhead projector or lightbox (similar to one used by photographers to view translucent films). In the latter, animators move around sand on a backlighted or frontlighted piece of glass to create each frame for their animated films.
Sand Painting of the World:
Tibet - The Sand Mandala (Tibetan: ???????????, Wylie: dkyil 'khor; Chinese: ???; pinyin: Sha Tánchéng) is a Tibetan Buddhist tradition involving the creation and destruction of mandalas made from colored sand. A sand mandala is ritualistically dismantled once it has been completed and its accompanying ceremonies and viewing are finished to symbolize the Buddhist doctrinal belief in the transitory nature of material life.
Native American - In the sandpainting of southwestern Native Americans (the most famous of which are the Navajo (known as the Diné)), the Medicine Man (or Hatalii) paints loosely upon the ground of a hogan, where the ceremony takes place, or on a buckskin or cloth tarpaulin, by letting the coloured sands flow through his fingers with control and skill. There are 600 to 1,000 different traditional designs for sandpaintings known to the Navajo. They do not view the paintings as static objects, but as spiritual, living beings to be treated with great respect. More than 30 different sandpaintings may be associated with one ceremony.
Indigenous Australian - Indigenous Australian art has a history which covers more than 30,000 years, and a wide range of native traditions and styles. These have been studied in recent decades and their complexity has gained increased international recognition.[2] Aboriginal Art covers a wide variety of media, including sandpainting, painting on leaves, wood carving, rock carving, sculpture, and ceremonial clothing, as well as artistic embellishments found on weaponry and also tools. Art is one of the key rituals of Aboriginal culture. It was and still is, used to mark territory, record history, and tell stories about "The Dreaming".
Japanese tray pictures - From the 15th century in Japan, Buddhist artists in the times of the shoguns practiced the craft of bonseki by sprinkling dry colored sand and pebbles onto the surface of plain black lacquered trays. They used bird feathers as brushes to form the sandy surface into seascapes and landscapes. These tray pictures were used in religious ceremonies. Japanese esoteric Buddhism was transmitted from East Central Asia after the 8th century, and thus these Japanese Buddhist sandpaintings may share earlier historical roots with the more intricate brightly coloured Buddhist sand mandalas created by Tibetan Buddhist monks.
Table decking - During the 17th and 18th centuries, the royal courts of Europe employed "table deckers", who decorated the side tables at royal banquets having adapted the craft of 'bonseki' from the Japanese. The table deckers sprinkled coloured sands, marble dust, sugars, etc. upon the surface of plain white tablecloths to create unfixed pictures of fruit, flowers, birds and rustic scenery. In between each design spaces were left for fruit bowls and sweetmeat dishes so that the diners could refresh themselves in between the main courses of the feast. These ornate pictures were discarded along with the debris of the feast.
Georgian sandpainting - Sandpainting as a craft was inspired by King George III, who was a skilled watchmaker and craftsman in his own right, and took an interest in the skills demonstrated by royal functionaries, known as Table Deckers, who decorated the white table-cloths at royal banquets with ornate centre-pieces decorated by using coloured sands and sugars as 'paint', and a bird's feather as a 'brush' a craft introduced by a European traveller who had observed the craftsmen at work in Japan.
Victorian sand picture souvenirs - Thousands of sites exist where it is possible to collect natural coloured sands for craftwork, with an enormous range of colours being available around the globe varying with the contents of the mineral charged waters leaching through the sands. But for the tourist the vertical sand cliffs at Alum Bay on the Isle of Wight form the central portion of a visual geological phenomenon (best viewed after a shower of rain) which encapsulates the impressive chalk spires of The Needles and Tennyson Downs. Aspiring sand crafters are now banned from risking their lives climbing the cliffs to collect the 21 coloured sands available in the bay, and to prevent excessive damage to the environment, but the sand kiosks have in the past been there to supply their needs.
Senegal - In the 1860s to 1890s Andrew Clemens a deaf mute born in Dubuque, Iowa, USA became famous for his craft of creating unfixed pictures using multicoloured sands compressed inside glass bottles or ornate chemist jars. The sand was collected from the bluffs overlooking the Mississippi. The subjects of his sand bottles included ornately decorated sentimental verses, sailing ships, plants, animals and portraits.
Chinese New Year Sand Art Short Film - "The Legend of Nian" by Sand Artist Lawrence Koh:
"Nian" is a mystical beast that terrorizes the village during the lunar new year period. The villagers tried various unsuccessful methods with the hope of subduing the great beast. Until a wise old man advised the villagers that the beast is fearful of loud noise & bright red colour. Hence, the use of firecrackers, loud gong sound / loud instruments as well as having bright red colour on their doorstep successfully ward off the beast forever!
Today, the legend of the mystical "Nian" has evolved into the Chinese Lion Dance we see today; together with the use of firecracker, drum, cymbals, & gong as auspicious accompaniments to the performance of lion dance. While the colour red became an auspicious colour of the Chinese Lunar New Year.
“I was amazed at your talent and just good you were with your performance. It must have taken many hours of practice.” – Emeritus Senior Minister Mr Goh Chok Tong to Sand Artist Lawrence Koh
Lawrence Koh – International sand art virtuoso and multi-disciplinary artist specialized in both the visual art and the performing art. Utilizing an awe-inspiring combination of sand, music and light, Lawrence has created countless stories as a sand artist during his local and international performances as well as prestigious events such as award ceremonies, official launch, grand opening, dinner & dance, festive celebrations, meetings, seminars and anniversary celebrations. Lawrence’s performance is often graced by foreign delegates, local VIPs and international guests; while also received positive responses from notable guests such as the Former President of Singapore Mr S.R Nathan, Prime Minister Mr Lee Hsien Loong, Emeritus Senior Minister Mr Goh Chok Tong, Mr Teo Chee Hean, Minister Lee Yi Shyan, Minister Heng Swee Keat, Dr Ng Eng Hen, Mr Lawrence Wong, International Model Sonia Couling, Dr Chan Mei Yoke, MP Low Yen Ling and Film Director Eric Khoo.
Some of Lawrence’s notable performances: MSH International Official Thailand Opening, Gourmet Abu Dhabi, Platts Top 250, Monetary Authority of Singapore Inter Central Bank Games, OCBC Regional Seminar, United Engineers 100 Years Anniversary, Shell Groundbreaking Ceremony, National University Health System Charity Gala Dinner at Gardens by the Bay, Lee Ming Wei’s Luminous Depths Installation Opening the Peranakan Museum, NTUC U Picnic, People’s Association’s New Year Countdown, Singapore Turf Club’s SIA Cup, BCA Awards, Institute of Mental Health 85th Anniversary, Kajima 25th Anniversary, Zurich Global Life Awards, BCI Asia Awards, Daido (Japan) 110th Anniversary Commendation Ceremony and many more.
Some of Lawrence’s previous clients: Mandarin Oriental, KFC, Pizza Hut, Panasonic, Singapore Armed Forces, National Heritage Board, Singapore College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, National Arts Council, Lian Beng Group Ltd, 7 Eleven, Abbott, Daikin, Melchers, Singex, National Library Board Singapore, Singapore Expo, Bosch, Ministry of Education, Sentosa, Immigration & Checkpoints Authority, GlaxoSmithKline, National Healthcare Group, Sonangol, Mediacorp.
Being a celebrated artist in Singapore’s entertainment and art scene, Lawrence’s career spans across theatre productions, cultural fusion performances, short films, corporate videos, television programmes, television commercials, documentaries and live concerts. Lawrence was given the honour to have a special collaboration with the renowned Bhaskar’s Arts Academy during their major theatre production “CHAKRA”, featuring a captivating fusion of Indian dance, ballet, live Indian orchestra and sand art. The performance was graced by the presence of former president Mr. S.R Nathan and the tickets sold out completely; receiving standing ovation from the audience. Under National Arts Council’s request and support, “CHAKRA” was restaged once again at the Toa Payoh Amphitheatre with Lawrence being part of the National Arts Council’s “Arts for All” programme. Lawrence’s collaboration journey with Bhaskar’s Arts Academy also includes “Nalanda” a multi-disciplinary theatre production at the Esplanade Theatres on the Bay and “Ramayana” during the Diwali Festival of Lights Performance in Wellington, New Zealand.
Lawrence captivated the audience once again with veteran storyteller Kamini Ramachandran and live fusion musicians (keyboardist Serene, bansuri flutist Ragha and table player Kumaran) during two sold out performances of “Forest Fables” – a multi-disciplinary English theatre production presented by Esplanade Theatres on the Bay. Under the invitation from Esplanade Theatres on the Bay, Lawrence performed his very own live concerts with the amazing “Tze N Looking Glass Orchestra” with talented string ensemble from ACS Independent during “Celebrate December 2013”. The performance was extremely well-received with full house for all three shows. With great excitement, Lawrence was given the honour to collaborate with the Singapore Philharmonic Winds Orchestra during the sold out concert – “Fun with Music” at the Esplanade Concert Hall as a guest soloist performing Eric Whitacre’s “Cloudburst”. Amidst his sand art journey, Lawrence and his sand art has received numerous article features and write-ups on Straits Times, Lian He Zao Bao, Business Times, AsiaOne.com, 8 Days Magazine and Kong Meng San Phor Kark See Monastery’s “Awaken Magazine”.
Lawrence and his sand art were also featured extensively on Singapore’s television programmes. He was featured as a guest artist on Mediacorp Okto channel’s “Art Bites” and “Arts.Music.Performances”; in which he performed his original sand art with DJ Shawn Fluctuate. Subsequently, Lawrence’s sand art also caught the attention of Mediacorp’s “Artless Travelled Season 2” – an award winning international documentary about the lesser seen art forms of Asia, with Lawrence and his performances being featured on the show as one of Singapore’s unique art forms. Other television involvements of Lawrence includes the McDonald’s Wholegrain McMuffin television commercial, Starhub E-City’s television commercials as well as Mediacorp Channel 5 and Suria Channel’s “Remembering SARS” – a telemovie that featured Lawrence’s sand art portraying the stories of Singapore’s battle against SARS.
With great privilege, Lawrence’s original sand animation tribute film to Singapore was featured on Vasantham Central’s Tamil News, Channel NewsAsia’s official Facebook page, as well as Channel NewsAsia’s “Singapore @ 6” and “Singapore Tonight”. On top of that, Lawrence was also invited to be the guest artist on Channel NewsAsia’s “AM Live!” and “Artyfacts”. He is also honored to be invited to perform on Mediacorp Suria Channel’s “Fiesta Muzik” – a prestigious live telecast music concert featuring popular artists from Singapore and Indonesia. Mr Aubeck Kam, Singapore’s Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Communications and Information (MCI) and Dr Basuki Yusuf Iskandar, Indonesia’s Secretary-General of the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology, attended “Fiesta Muzik” as the Guests-of-Honour. “Fiesta Muzik” was broadcasted as a live telecast on Singapore and Indonesia’s TV channels with Lawrence’s performance receiving excellent responses.
---
What is Sand Art?
"In Buddhism, they say attachment to anything only leads to suffering. So when we
laugh, it's our way of saying, 'I'm unattached to that.' You're tickled by it, it makes
your lobes do something on their own. So humor is very important to me. I always take
that to the stage first." - Jason Mraz
Sand animation, also known as sand art, is a term which has two meanings. It is the
name given to a style of live performance art and to a type of animation. In the
former, an artist creates a series of images using sand, a process which is achieved by
applying sand to a surface and then rendering images by drawing lines and figures in
the sand with one's hands. A sand animation performer will often use the aid of an
overhead projector or lightbox (similar to one used by photographers to view
translucent films). In the latter, animators move around sand on a backlighted or
frontlighted piece of glass to create each frame for their animated films.
Sand Painting of the World:
Tibet - The Sand Mandala (Tibetan: ???????????, Wylie: dkyil 'khor; Chinese: ???;
pinyin: Sha Tánchéng) is a Tibetan Buddhist tradition involving the creation and
destruction of mandalas made from colored sand. A sand mandala is ritualistically
dismantled once it has been completed and its accompanying ceremonies and viewing are
finished to symbolize the Buddhist doctrinal belief in the transitory nature of
material life.
Native American - In the sandpainting of southwestern Native Americans (the most famous
of which are the Navajo (known as the Diné)), the Medicine Man (or Hatalii) paints
loosely upon the ground of a hogan, where the ceremony takes place, or on a buckskin or
cloth tarpaulin, by letting the coloured sands flow through his fingers with control
and skill. There are 600 to 1,000 different traditional designs for sandpaintings known
to the Navajo. They do not view the paintings as static objects, but as spiritual,
living beings to be treated with great respect. More than 30 different sandpaintings
may be associated with one ceremony.
Indigenous Australian - Indigenous Australian art has a history which covers more than
30,000 years, and a wide range of native traditions and styles. These have been studied
in recent decades and their complexity has gained increased international recognition.
[2] Aboriginal Art covers a wide variety of media, including sandpainting, painting on
leaves, wood carving, rock carving, sculpture, and ceremonial clothing, as well as
artistic embellishments found on weaponry and also tools. Art is one of the key rituals
of Aboriginal culture. It was and still is, used to mark territory, record history, and
tell stories about "The Dreaming".
Japanese tray pictures - From the 15th century in Japan, Buddhist artists in the times
of the shoguns practiced the craft of bonseki by sprinkling dry colored sand and
pebbles onto the surface of plain black lacquered trays. They used bird feathers as
brushes to form the sandy surface into seascapes and landscapes. These tray pictures
were used in religious ceremonies. Japanese esoteric Buddhism was transmitted from East
Central Asia after the 8th century, and thus these Japanese Buddhist sandpaintings may
share earlier historical roots with the more intricate brightly coloured Buddhist sand
mandalas created by Tibetan Buddhist monks.
Table decking - During the 17th and 18th centuries, the royal courts of Europe employed
"table deckers", who decorated the side tables at royal banquets having adapted the
craft of 'bonseki' from the Japanese. The table deckers sprinkled coloured sands,
marble dust, sugars, etc. upon the surface of plain white tablecloths to create unfixed
pictures of fruit, flowers, birds and rustic scenery. In between each design spaces
were left for fruit bowls and sweetmeat dishes so that the diners could refresh
themselves in between the main courses of the feast. These ornate pictures were
discarded along with the debris of the feast.
Georgian sandpainting - Sandpainting as a craft was inspired by King George III, who
was a skilled watchmaker and craftsman in his own right, and took an interest in the
skills demonstrated by royal functionaries, known as Table Deckers, who decorated the
white table-cloths at royal banquets with ornate centre-pieces decorated by using
coloured sands and sugars as 'paint', and a bird's feather as a 'brush' a craft
introduced by a European traveller who had observed the craftsmen at work in Japan.
Victorian sand picture souvenirs - Thousands of sites exist where it is possible to
collect natural coloured sands for craftwork, with an enormous range of colours being
available around the globe varying with the contents of the mineral charged waters
leaching through the sands. But for the tourist the vertical sand cliffs at Alum Bay on
the Isle of Wight form the central portion of a visual geological phenomenon (best
viewed after a shower of rain) which encapsulates the impressive chalk spires of The
Needles and Tennyson Downs. Aspiring sand crafters are now banned from risking their
lives climbing the cliffs to collect the 21 coloured sands available in the bay, and to
prevent excessive damage to the environment, but the sand kiosks have in the past been
there to supply their needs.
Senegal - In the 1860s to 1890s Andrew Clemens a deaf mute born in Dubuque, Iowa, USA
became famous for his craft of creating unfixed pictures using multicoloured sands
compressed inside glass bottles or ornate chemist jars. The sand was collected from the
bluffs overlooking the Mississippi. The subjects of his sand bottles included ornately
decorated sentimental verses, sailing ships, plants, animals and portraits.
