When I see different locations around the world, and what they have to offer, it makes me want to just pack my bags and head to the nearest airport. Then I get there and realize I don’t have the means or the funds of actually fulfilling all of my travel wants and needs. In the middle of the Atacama Desert which is located in South America, a giant hand rises from the ground like the remains of an ancient civilization. In reality, it’s a pretty modern sculpture, an art piece called “Mano del Desierto” and it was created by Chilean artist Mario Irarrázabal in honor of the victims of injustice and torture during the military regime in Chile.
The sculpture has a base of iron and cement, and stands 36 feet (11 meters) tall.
Funded by Corporación Pro Antofagasta, a local booster organization, the sculpture was inaugurated on March 28, 1992.
He has several similar gigantic hand sculptures on display at various locations around the world.
One of them is at Brava Beach in Punta del Este, Uruguay and is known by various names such as Hombre emergiendo a la vida (Man Emerging into Life), Monumento los Dedos (Monument of the Fingers), or Monumento al Ahogado (Monument to the Drowned).
Another Hand at Brava Beach in Punta del Este, Uruguay.
This one was built in Juan Carlos Park in Madrid, Spain in 1987.
I guess it’s one more thing to add to the good old bucket list. These types of sculptures are pretty cool and it’s neat that different cities encourage this type of art in their cities. Encouraging artists to use their creativity to improve the look of the city is a great way to combat graffiti, while still adding to the uniqueness of the city and attracting tourists as well.