Mano de Desierto - work of the Chilean sculptor Mario Irarrasabal constructed in the early eighties. It was financed by the local organization of the scooter by the name of the Corporación Antofagasta Missile defense.

The movement of the hands rising from the earth is obsession of Irarrazebel. Its other known works include other sculpture of the big size, investigating the same idea: "The monument to the Drowned" is located on Parada 4 on the Beach Is gallant in Punta del Este, popular resort town in Uruguay. Other big sculpture, "Awakening", the American artist John Seward Johnson of II expresses the similar idea and is located in Neshnel-Harbore in Prins-George-Kunti, Maryland.

Know before you go

If you pass this strange art expression in the middle of the Atacama Desert without any prevention, you could think that you entered the movie Aladdin, and a little being creep from sand. In essence it is effect which expression of art, such as this as expect, will have. But before you turn the way to the Atacama Desert to see this wonderful view, you don't hurry to know several things oh, what you are going to see and where you go.

This free

As art as it has to be, Mano del Desierto absolutely free to come nearer and consider as there are no exits, fences or something surrounding a sculpture, and it allows you to visit him at any time. Really pay attention that because of its remote arrangement, it can be the victim of a vandalization, and it is desirable to visit him within hours of sunlight.

It is far away

Antofagasta demands possession of the Desert Hand because of its rather direct proximity. But only because it is the closest civilization to a monument, doesn't mean that it is walk from the downtown as the Hand makes hot 75 kilometers (46.6 miles) on the South, and a shade (any intended word-play) within the country from the coastal city of Antofagasta.

It is huge!

The most charming thing about a sculpture - the net size. It is a considerable figure and does for an amazing look, especially in large space of a non-existence, by such as here in the middle of the Atacama Desert. Being up to standard of more than 11 meters, about 36 feet, this high and thick structure costs, more than double giraffe height, or about height of an average telephone column.

Blank space

Its remote arrangement isn't accidental as the artist behind his creation, and to construction, Mario Irarrasabal, the city of Antofagasta instructed to construct something known to fill a blank space of the Atacama Desert. The huge hand is located at the intersection where several roads through an empty dry heathland meet and go to the North to Antofagasta.

Who such Mario Irarrasabal?

The organizer of Mano del Desierto - the Chilean artist Mario Irarrasabal who got numerous awards for these years for his unique expressions at the same time this the most known was possible its. The been born artist Santiago studied at the university in the United States and also studied in Germany for many years before returning in 1969 as the devoted sculptor.

How to reach there?

Nakhozheniye aside and in the direction on the substance of nothing, reaching there demands careful planning as it is almost impossible to arrive public transport. You can easily go if you have a vehicle, or you can hire the taxi which will take you there and to wait to return you for a set of the prices. The prices will depend on your skills of exchange, but don't expect that something goes down, than about $50.

Don't miss it!

Latin America is notorious for the poor or doesn't exist, the sign and the people giving the wrong or uncertain directions, trying to help therefore have it in mind. Many people will tell that the sculpture comes the Highway 5 when you have to make really turn away it, or you could pass it. When on the main highway there is a fork to go the left B-55, you want to promote No. 5 and the nobility for the forthcoming sign, telling "Escultura" and the next way designate to the right. It is your road to Mano del Desierto.

Don't rise by it!

Looking at the Desert Hand, your internal child can leave and want to rise by him, and even while it isn't made of sand as it would appear, it is impossible, and at the same time it wouldn't be easy to rise by a huge appendage. You can close go, concern it, lean the elbows on it, but you don't try to climb up it, so tempting as it can be.

What to make it represent?

Art intends to light imagination, and the work of art will be considered in a different way by each person, and it is one of beautiful things about art expressions and one so big. When it was asked about it, Mario Irarrasabal told that a hand, the size and arrangement, all represent human vulnerability and helplessness - and those at whom gasoline reaches a limit here, understand it perfectly.

Al Akhogedo's monument

Mano del Desierto can be the most known sculpture of Mario Irarrasabal, but at it another resembles very much on the other side of South America in Uruguay. Punta del Este located in the beach town, Monumento Al Akhogedo (differently known as the Hand of Punta del Este), is still in process of sticking by his fingers through sand, but the similar work of art to a hand in Chile is distinguishable.