Fonte: 123RF
A gigantic hand that emerges from the Atacama Desert, in Chile. This is the Desert Hand, an enormous sculpture created in 1992. For years the structure, eleven meters high, has become one of the favorite destinations of all tourists who venture into this harsh and inhospitable place, considered one of the driest in the world. The hand that comes out of the sand and seems to ask for help represents something in some way the essence of this place.
Renamed “Hand of the Desierto”, the sculpture artistically symbolizes abandonment and loneliness. It is a unique piece of art in the world, created by the sculptor Mario Irarrázabal, who wanted to pay homage to all the people who were victims of injustice and torture due to the military regime in Chile.
The Mano del Desierto is located 75 kilometers south of Antofagasta, a small town, and 350 meters from Route 5, which passes over the Atacama plateau. Irarrázabal is a very famous artist in his country and was a pupil of Otto Waldemar, a German sculptor in West Berlin. Throughout his career he has combined art with social commitment, creating several sculptures dedicated to the weakest and for report crimes and injustices. His "speciality" is precisely gigantic structures that emerge from the earth, such as the Hombre Emergiendo a la vida, located in Brava Beach, in Uruguay, but also the hand that emerges from the ground in Juan Carlos Park in Madrid, in Spain.
Over time, the Mano del Desierto has become quite famous and there are many people who go to this point of the Atacama desert every year just to take photos a souvenir photo. Unfortunately, not everyone is respectful towards the work of art which, having no protection, is often prey to vandals and writers, who cover their palms and fingers with signatures, drawings and graffiti. This is why it comes cyclically subjected to restoration which allows it to be brought back to its original color, which allows it to blend in with the desert.
