The first thing Nathaniel Alapide checks when he gets up in the morning is the tide forecast – not because he’s about to go diving, but to see when it’s the ideal time for him to go down to the beach to draw in the sand.
"It's really the tide that dictates what time I would go," says Alapide, who works full-time as a sand artist at Rixos Premium Dubai JBR.
Sometimes, he's up as early as 5am to create his art. Using nothing but a rake, the artist creates murals on wet sand for beachgoers. "I create something there in the morning and people get to see it, and it's nice to be able to share something that I've created," he tells The National.
However, for Alapide, 43, it all started when his grandmother died in 2014 in the Philippines. The artist, who was in Dubai at the time, wanted to pay tribute to her, and so he drew a massive mural of a tree at Jumeirah beach.
“I grew up with my grandparents and my grandmother is like this tree that you love and support,” he says.
After doing that for the first time, the artist found the process to be very meditative and has been doing it ever since. “It really puts you in the present moment,” he says.
For him, the environment and being alone on the beach makes him feel like he’s creating something for nature with nature. “When I do that, I feel connected to something that is bigger than myself. When I create, it feels like the physical part of me is dissolved and it’s pure consciousness.”
However, what Alapide never expected was for something that he did on the public beach for fun and as a passion to lead to a full-time job. “I still can’t believe that I’m doing this for a living or as a job because I wasn’t really planning to do it full-time,” he says.
The work he creates is varied. Sometimes it's what seems to be a painting on the sand and other times it's related to international world events such as International Women's Day or when the UAE space probe Hope was launched to Mars. Back in March, his Stay Home message was a reminder at the peak of the pandemic for people to stay safe by remaining indoors.
Alapide has also been approached to create messages for special occasions such as birthdays and wedding proposals. “I think I’ve done a dozen wedding proposals and they’ve all been a yes,” he says, proudly.
His latest proposal was for a couple from the Czech Republic. The man wanted his message to be written out in the Czech language, which Alapide happily did.
“I wrote it and the girlfriend was on the 24th floor of the hotel, so when he [her boyfriend] woke her up and then opened the windows, she saw this message on the beach,” he says. “When they came down, she was already wearing the ring. It’s beautiful.”
Sand art has also opened doors for Alapide to partner with big brands including Nike and Burberry, and most recently with design company Palmwood.
When he’s not on the beach, he’s in his studio painting. And his work can be viewed at the Showcase Gallery in Alserkal Avenue.
However, when comparing the two mediums, the artist says the sand art feels more liberating. "With a painting, people can buy it and hang it on their wall, but with the sand art, no one can buy it, they have to experience it."
A huge part of that experience for the artist is the ability to let go of the art that he has created and let nature take its course and wash it away, only for him to start something new the next day.
“It’s like watching sunset. It’s ephemeral and fleeting and I think there’s something beautiful about things that don’t last long,” he says. “It reminds you that everything in life is in constant change.”
Back in the Philippines, Alapide has garnered recognition for his art – be it at the beach or in the middle of the desert. He’s had a solo exhibition at the Pinto Art Museum in his home town of Anitpolo Rizal and has done a number of television interviews.
On his last visit, he went to Sitio Remedios, a small village in the north of the country inhabited by many fishermen living there with their children, and he taught them sand art for a week.
"A month ago, I did a Zoom interview as well for a TV channel in the Philippines about the sand art that I do here in the UAE and a couple of papers have published stories about what I'm doing here as a Filipino in Dubai."
What started as a tribute to his grandmother in the Philippines is connecting the artist, who has been in the UAE since 2003, with his home country.
Electric scooters: some rules to remember
- Riders must be 14-years-old or over
- Wear a protective helmet
- Park the electric scooter in designated parking lots (if any)
- Do not leave electric scooter in locations that obstruct traffic or pedestrians
- Solo riders only, no passengers allowed
- Do not drive outside designated lanes
Specs
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Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
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The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
The alternatives
• Founded in 2014, Telr is a payment aggregator and gateway with an office in Silicon Oasis. It’s e-commerce entry plan costs Dh349 monthly (plus VAT). QR codes direct customers to an online payment page and merchants can generate payments through messaging apps.
• Business Bay’s Pallapay claims 40,000-plus active merchants who can invoice customers and receive payment by card. Fees range from 1.99 per cent plus Dh1 per transaction depending on payment method and location, such as online or via UAE mobile.
• Tap started in May 2013 in Kuwait, allowing Middle East businesses to bill, accept, receive and make payments online “easier, faster and smoother” via goSell and goCollect. It supports more than 10,000 merchants. Monthly fees range from US$65-100, plus card charges of 2.75-3.75 per cent and Dh1.2 per sale.
• 2checkout’s “all-in-one payment gateway and merchant account” accepts payments in 200-plus markets for 2.4-3.9 per cent, plus a Dh1.2-Dh1.8 currency conversion charge. The US provider processes online shop and mobile transactions and has 17,000-plus active digital commerce users.
• PayPal is probably the best-known online goods payment method - usually used for eBay purchases - but can be used to receive funds, providing everyone’s signed up. Costs from 2.9 per cent plus Dh1.2 per transaction.
Adele: The Stories Behind The Songs
Caroline Sullivan
Carlton Books
Specs
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On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League final:
Who: Real Madrid v Liverpool
Where: NSC Olimpiyskiy Stadium, Kiev, Ukraine
When: Saturday, May 26, 10.45pm (UAE)
TV: Match on BeIN Sports
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
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Key findings of Jenkins report
- Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
- Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
- Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
- Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Match info:
Real Betis v Sevilla, 10.45pm (UAE)
Day 3, Abu Dhabi Test: At a glance
Moment of the day Just three balls remained in an exhausting day for Sri Lanka’s bowlers when they were afforded some belated cheer. Nuwan Pradeep, unrewarded in 15 overs to that point, let slip a seemingly innocuous delivery down the legside. Babar Azam feathered it behind, and Niroshan Dickwella dived to make a fine catch.
Stat of the day - 2.56 Shan Masood and Sami Aslam are the 16th opening partnership Pakistan have had in Tests in the past five years. That turnover at the top of the order – a new pair every 2.56 Test matches on average – is by far the fastest rate among the leading Test sides. Masood and Aslam put on 114 in their first alliance in Abu Dhabi.
The verdict Even by the normal standards of Test cricket in the UAE, this has been slow going. Pakistan’s run-rate of 2.38 per over is the lowest they have managed in a Test match in this country. With just 14 wickets having fallen in three days so far, it is difficult to see 26 dropping to bring about a result over the next two.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
What sanctions would be reimposed?
Under ‘snapback’, measures imposed on Iran by the UN Security Council in six resolutions would be restored, including:
- An arms embargo
- A ban on uranium enrichment and reprocessing
- A ban on launches and other activities with ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons, as well as ballistic missile technology transfer and technical assistance
- A targeted global asset freeze and travel ban on Iranian individuals and entities
- Authorisation for countries to inspect Iran Air Cargo and Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines cargoes for banned goods
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Barcelona v Liverpool, Wednesday, 11pm (UAE).
Second leg
Liverpool v Barcelona, Tuesday, May 7, 11pm
Games on BeIN Sports
