The Sand Animation of Kseniya Simonova


(YouTube Link)


Kseniya Simonova is a Ukrainian artist who creates sand drawings in front of audiences. Here she is performing on Ukraine's Got Talent:

Here, she recounts Germany conquering Ukraine in the second world war. She brings calm, then conflict. A couple on a bench become a woman's face; a peaceful walkway becomes a conflagration; a weeping widow morphs into an obelisk for an unknown soldier. 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".


Link via TigerHawk

Ingeniously executed, but I gotta say the 'evil Germans' theme is tiresome. Ukraine of all places; the Germans *liberated* Ukraine immediately following the Jewish-executed* Holodomor, in which at least 10 million Ukrainians were murdered. This explains why the Ukrainians not only viewed the Germans as liberators (and the Germans did treat them, the Estonians, etc. very well), but why the Germans even had to restrain them from excessive reprisals against their betrayers.

*Lazar Kaganovich and that almost all-Jewish soviet NKVD
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I agree with Kalei, beautiful and gritty. What is amazing is how fluid she is in her depictions of different scenes - absolutely breathtaking.
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czd5 don't feel so bad. This was actually on a Videosift list a few weeks backs. That being said, the Germans were not nice to the Ukrainians. My Great-grandfather would attest to it, and no he was not Jewish. This video is very powerful. That girl is really talented and passionate.
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Of course I was super impressed by her skill, but I was also super amused at the instrumental Metallica playing during the last minute of her performance.
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This was awesome. Very moving. And could never, ever be done on America's Got Talent—our three judges, unable to recognize originality and brilliance when they see it, would give her the X too soon for her art to even start telling a story.
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@ Neil

Way to use this as a stepping stone for you're incredibly insightful opinion. The "evil german" theme is so tiresome when you're content revolves around WWII, how could she have ever been so trite! You suck Neil.
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@KC
That awesome instrumental version of Nothing Else Matters is done by an amazing quartet of cellists called Apocalyptica. They've covered a ton of Metallica as well as other metal bands.
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I saw the final movie and it was really something special. Had to hold my tears several times.

I'm trying - without success - to find a non-youtube version of the german war video since it excludes my country for copyright issues...

If anyone knows, please do tell!
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it was amazing to me. there are alot of people still affected by what happened. it changed their lives forever. they will never be the same. we cant forget that.
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I hope this type of entertainment/art/social comentary can find a way into American mainstream media...This country needs a dose of reality and artistic appreciation.
God bless America.
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