Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Kseniya Simonova: Amazing Sand Animation

One of this blog's occasional commentators over at www.mangosteenjuicetestimonials.com,
who I also keep tags on via Facebook posted this video yesterday and it really is a beauty!

While I've seen all sorts of weird painters - BBQ Sauce, Tomato Sauce, Vegemite, Peanut Butter - all of which have greatly impressed me, none have come close to Kseniya Simonova, who depicts the German invasion of the Ukraine in 1942 - in sand animation.


Together with a chilling and moving soundscape / score, her appearance on Ukraine's Got Talent makes every contestant I've ever seen in similar shows look shabby.

Ms. Simonova's talent is obvious but the staging is both simple and grand at the same time, fitting for the teary audience, who recall the stories of that time, when probably 25% of the population were killed.

Astonishing, absolutely astonishing.



Kseniya Simonova: Amazing Sand Animation

FYI, The Guardian published a lovely piece on her, which is worth checking out.

"Simonova looks like some vengeful Old Testament deity as she destroys then recreates her scenes - with deft strokes, sprinkles and sweeps she keeps the narrative going. She moves the judges to tears as she subtitles the final scene 'you are always near'."

On a pervy note, she's damn cute, too!

2 comments:

Somnambulist said...

I'm astounded. Now THAT is talent.

(and the sand-painting's pretty good too).

Lord Andrew Of Goulding said...

Yes indeed. FYI, the Guardian has some 49 comments (before they were closed) one of which brought me to tears of laughter, it was so dry.

Interestingly, there were, I think, 3 that were bored by Ms. Simonova, some longed for the banal Existentialism of Warhol and one commentator seemed to intimate that Susan Boyle had it harder because she looks like a drunk's spew (or something similar).

Fascinating.