Indian sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaiks sculpture City Of Peace won the peoples choice award for the best sand sculpture in the 2nd USF World Solo Sand Sculpture Championship 2009 held from June 4-11, 2009 in Berlin, Germany and it was displayed for public voting from June 11 to July 12. This years exhibition was themed City OF Future. Sudarsan Pattnaik harmonic vision of the future shows a giant Buddha meditating under the famous Berlin television tower, the Alex. And according to Buddhist tradition the era, when Buddha appears, is an especially fortunate one. This wish is obviously shared by the 1.383 people that voted for Pattnaiks piece of art making him undisputed winner of the peoples choice award.
Festival-producer Anja Smolle does not seem surprised by the outcome of the poll: Sudarsan has a special ability to pick up the historic sights of Berlin and mix them with his own artistic approach. Therefore he is definitely one of Berlins darlings. Last year, an expert jury awarded the 1st USF World Double Championship award to Pattnaik. The sculpture showed the famous polar bear Knut, who lives in the Berlin Zoo.
The second place went to Gianni Schiumarini (Itally) and his sculpture A New Sun on the Same Worldwhich got 439 votes. The third place went to the Danish (Denmark) artist Maria Eliot Torp and her futuristic sculpture One More beer which shows a science fiction inspired bar scene. She came in close after Schiumarini with 402.
Pattnaik got an email from Festival-producer Anja Smolle of Berlin about his winning in public prize. They also release a news at sandsation berlin.Orissa based artist Sudarsan Pattnaik has already participated in 39 International Sand Sculpture Festival/Competition around the world and had won many prizes. This year he was honoured as people of the year by Limca Book of Records.
