Manhattan artist Calvin Seibert is a master craftsman and self-described “box builder” who spends summers in Rockaway Beach, Queens to build his amazingly detailed, geometrical sandcastles that come from the furthest reaches of his bold imagination. Per Seibert, building these wonderful mud structures is a challenge that he’s happy to face.
Building “sandcastles” is a bit of a test. Nature will always be against you and time is always running out. Having to think fast and to bring it all together in the end is what I like about it. I rarely start with a plan, just a vague notion of trying to do something different each time. Once I begin building and forms take shape I can start to see where things are going and either follow that road or attempt to contradict it with something unexpected. In my mind they are always mash-ups of influences and ideas. I see a castle, a fishing village, a modernist sculpture, a stage set for the oscars all at once. When they are successful they don’t feel contained or finished. They become organic machines that might grow and expand. I am always adding just one more bit and if time allowed I wouldn’t stop.
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photos by Calvin Seibert
via Adam Savage
