Ukraine’s Kseniya Simonova draws history in sand

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Ukrainian sand artist proves that reality TV’s got talent

Kseniya Simonova, the winner of Ukraine’s Got Talent, has become a YouTube phenomenon by telling stories through sand animation. Who needs Susan Boyle?

Ukraine’s Got Talent? This much we already knew. There’s Mikhail Bulgakov, Olga Kurylenko and the Klitschko brothers. We can now add Kseniya Simonova to that list who has won the Ukrainian version of Britain’s Got Talent with sand animation. Yes, you heard right. She tells stories through sand.

Here, she recounts Germany conquering Ukraine in the second world war. She brings calm, then conflict. A couple on a bench become a woman’s face; a peaceful walkway becomes a conflagration; a weeping widow morphs into an obelisk for an unknown soldier. Simonova looks like some vengeful Old Testament deity as she destroys then recreates her scenes – with deft strokes, sprinkles and sweeps she keeps the narrative going. She moves the judges to tears as she subtitles the final scene “you are always near”.

Simonova is a real piece of work. Watching her in action calls to mind Rolf Harris (“can you tell what it is yet?”) and his passion for popularising art. Yet you wonder how she would fare in the UK’s version of the show. Piers? “Tony Hart’s dead, love – move on.” Simon? “It was all a bit cabaret, sweetheart.” Amanda? “I’m loving the dress! You go, girlfriend!” Ant and Dec would think her canny, at least.

Guardian

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