This summer, visitors to Gosport Museum and Art Gallery will be mesmerized by an awe-inspiring new exhibition, Sandstories, a captivating celebration of Gosport in sand, opening on 27 July.
This extraordinary display of creativity by internationally renowned master sand artists, Paul and Remy Hoggard, promises to be a stunning sculptural celebration of Gosport, with the artists creating a breathtaking landscape through sand artistry. Meticulous sculpting and intricate detailing enable Paul and Remy Hoggard to masterfully breathe life into grains of sand, with this new exhibition conjuring up a unique 3D scene celebrating Gosport’s beautiful peninsula location, from its skyline to the bottom of the sea. This is the artists’ second visit to Gosport, following a previous sand sculpture at Gosport Gallery in 2010, when they celebrated the maritime history of the town in a stunning sandscape installation.
This year’s sand sculpture theme was chosen from ideas submitted by local people, which ranged from submarines to famous women in history and science, the wonders of the world to military heritage. The overwhelming choice, however, was a celebration of Gosport the town. Using archival photographs from Hampshire Cultural Trust’s collection, some of which are on display at Gosport Museum and Art Gallery, the artists will recreate a skyline of familiar local buildings and allow their imagination to run free in the creation of a fantastical underwater world.
From Thursday 27 July to Wednesday 2 August, the artists will be sculpting 20 tonnes of sand live. Visitors are invited to watch the sculpture evolve as the days progress, with buildings and underwater scenes brought to life through sand. Visitors can also have a go at sculpting their own scenes in sandboxes or join in with a sand sculpture masterclass on Friday 28 July.
The couple have created exceptional sand sculptures in over 25 countries and have won countless awards for their work. From India to Canada, their art has been viewed by thousands globally, and here in the UK they have exhibited at the Royal Chelsea Flower Show and even created a sand sculpture in Cornwall in 2000 for the late Queen Elizabeth II.
Tara McKinney Marinus, Visual Arts Exhibition Manager at Hampshire Cultural Trust, commented, ‘We are thrilled to present the Sandstories exhibition at Gosport Museum and Art Gallery. This unique collection of sand sculptures showcases the incredible talent and vision of Paul and Remy Hoggard while providing visitors with an immersive experience that celebrates the beauty and versatility of this transient art form, all in celebration of Gosport.’
Tickets are £3.50 per adult and £1.70 per child (including Gift Aid) and will allow unlimited visits for the duration of the exhibition. For more information and to book tickets, please visit https://www.gosportmuseumandgallery.org.uk/event/sandstories.