How a man is changing sand art culture in India

Jerry Jose laughs when complimented on the stunning sand art display of Alice's tea party – a welcome disruption in the middle of a Ghatkopar shopping mall. "People think I've gone nuts." Possibly because the 34-year-old gave up a cushy corporate job to carve a full-fledged career out of sand sculpting.

"You'd almost think it was a fluke," says the founder of sand sculpting company Sand Cult as he recalls the moment when it all changed. Jose was hanging out at the JJ School of Arts when a junk metal sculpture made by a student caught his attention. The topic that surfaced during a fervent discussion between the two strangers happened to be sand sculpture – then an alien concept for Jose.

Subsequent research revealed the disparity between Indian sand sculptures and the international scenario, something Jerry felt compelled to address. Several sculpture students from Mumbai, Pune and Goa and a friendly nod from Goa Tourism led to the birth of the Goa Sand Art Festival at bustling Candolim beach in 2009.

A lot has changed in the country's sand art scene since, and Jose can take the credit for much of it.

After the bittersweet run at Goa (security personnel could not prevent people from throwing bottles and stones at the artwork. "They'd ask, 'Is it really sand? Does it crumble?" he grimaces), Sandman Jerry decided it was time to return to Mumbai.

By this time, he had already teamed up with British sand wizard Simon Smith and helped build a 20ft tall sandcastle – India's tallest ever – at Calangute beach. In addition to the literally giant success of this six-month installation from December 2013 to May 2014, Jerry also discovered Orissa artist Narayan Sahu, who created a 15ft sculpture of the Hulk for the Sand Art Festival 2015.

Having recognised the biggest problem of the Indian sand art scene as a lack of suitable platforms, Jose set up Sand Cult, which empowers talented artists so that they can pursue their passion.

There are two methods to sand art – the soft pack, where the sand is shaped and compacted with bare hands, and the expensive hard pack, for which the artist needs huge wooden forms to bind the sand with water, compacting machine and special tools to cut and chisel compact sand. The latter requires investment and technical skills, something Jose intends to provide Indian artists with.

Narayan Sahu, now one of Jose's favourite collaborators, was among those who came on board when he read about Sand Cult on the back of a newspaper he'd used to wrap some tools in. Now, many of his works are displayed in Mumbai's shopping malls, with themes like fantasy and pop culture. He's also received a government grant and tried his hand at sand animation (A live performance art where the artist draws a series of images using sand on a light-box – a feat simultaneously projected on screen).

What fascinates Jerry about sand-sculpting is the labour of love it demands and the intricate skill behind each work of art. "The problem is that there is little appreciation for the art," he rues. "You put up a display, people will hang back for a few minutes to marvel at it; but ask them to buy a ticket for the same and they'll pass. Not very fair, right? This one's a work of labour just as any other art."

Little wonder then that most sand artists in India are only part-timers, a hobby they cannot turn into a livelihood due to lack of funding. This may change once Jose takes his mall-based sand art project forward.

As for capital, he reckons that sand is "self-sustaining". Proceeds from one event are usually enough to fund the next, with the occasional art donation or corporate client thrown in.

Looking at the detailing across the 8ft-tall dragon castle beside Alice's tea-table, you know that the Sandman is not likely to stop here. After all, art thrives in the heart of madmen, and like Alice, Jerry Jose is out chasing his very own white rabbit.