Tongxiao sand sculptures withstand typhoon in central Taiwan

台灣中部通宵沙雕抵禦颱風

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Miaoli County Culture and Tourism Bureau announced Monday that the Tongxiao Sand-Sculpture Arts Festival will open as scheduled on July 12, after all art installations were found undamaged by Typhoon Danas.

The festival, which runs through Sept. 14, will showcase 23 sand sculptures created by artists from eight countries, including Taiwan, Ukraine, India, Canada, Japan, Malaysia and Mongolia, per CNA. The installations will be maintained by the Miaoli County Government in cooperation with the Tongxiao Township Office throughout the event.

In response to public concern about how the sculptures withstood the storm, Taiwanese sand artist Chen Kun-tien (陳坤田) said the natural landscape of Tongxiao helped shield the artworks. Before Typhoon Danas arrived, he observed that Typhoon Gaemi, which struck in 2024, also caused a minimal impact on the festival, per UDN.

Chen explained that each sculpture is reinforced with an eco-friendly gel that helps preserve the integrity of the sand while allowing for natural breakdown. He noted that during last year’s festival, the only notable damage came from children and dogs leaving footprints.

However, on Tuesday, one sculpture was found damaged by an unknown individual, per CNA. The piece, titled “Praying for Thailand and Myanmar,” depicts a kneeling woman with her hands clasped in prayer.

When artists returned to the site Wednesday, they discovered the tools surrounding the sculpture had been rearranged, and the woman’s facial features and hands beneath her jaw had been disfigured.

Chen said he does not believe the damage was intentional. With water pipes located near the installation, he suggested the incident may have been caused by a curious passerby.

After two days of restoration, the sculpture was fully repaired. Festival organizers reminded the public to avoid entering restricted areas and to respect the artworks during the exhibition period.