3 Magnificent Hand Shaped Sculptures Around the World

By
Robin S
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Hand of the Desert, Chile. Photo by Roi Dimor on Unsplash

Hands have been fascinating artists for centuries, so it’s not surprising that we can find giant hand-shaped sculptures around the world. Here are three you should see at least once in a lifetime.

The Hand (Uruguay)

La Mano de Punta del Este depicts five fingers partially emerging from the sand, and it’s located in Uruguay’s resort town of Punta del Este. It was designed by Chilean artist Mario Irarrázabal, as a warning to swimmers visiting the area.

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Los Dedos! 🖐️ Located on Uruguay's beautiful coastline of #PuntaDelEste is this incredible sculpture…. you probably know its sister which is El Mano del Desierto in Chile, having both been created by the same artist Mario Irarrazabal! @lostitalianos says "We are back in Buenos Aires but our minds (and most of my skin) are still in beautiful, laid back Uruguay. We didn't spend enough time there mostly because we broke our rule and made plans ahead. Of course we haven't seen all that this country has to offer but from the places we have visited here are our top3: ✔️ Santa Teresa – we ended up there by accident, only because of a hitchhiking opportunity. Huge camping in the woods, wide and clean beaches, no wifi, skies full of stars. What more can you ask for. This is where I was lucky to turn 29 yo. ✔️ Cabo Polonio – the only way to get to this village is to take a 4×4, truck-like vehicle. Marijuana as a welcome gift from a hostel, hundreads of sea lions basking in the sun, candles and bonfires instead of street lamps. I think it paints quite a picture. ✔️ La Pedrera – a little town with a hippie atmosphere. Amazing beaches yet again, omnipresent surfers, beach sunrises. Strong Australia's East Coast vibe." Punta del Este, Uruguay #discoversouthamerica

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Hand of the Dessert (Chile)

This sculpture was also constructed by Mario Irarrázabal, but it’s much more difficult to reach. As the name suggests, Mano del Desierto is located in the middle of the Atacama Desert in Chile, but it’s worth the trip.

Hand of Harmony (South Korea)

Also known as the Hand of Coexistence, this sculpture was designed by professor Seung-guk Kim at Yeongnam University. It’s located on Homigot Beach, one of the easternmost points on the Korean peninsula, and you can get a good look at the hand from the Homigot Lighthouse.