SANDIMATION

If ever you've wondered about the intro-graphics at Animal Planet -- last year's signature clip, I think -- the one showing animals being formed out of some kind of smoky substance, by a pair of hands -- well, you'll see more of the same at a site called Sand Fantasy. The home page takes about 10 seconds to load properly and it's a good idea to just wait for it to load before clicking one of the video clips. It's magical, lyrical and clever all at once, as the artist ILANA YAHAV forms, de-forms and then reforms images out of sand (on glass, presumably, with a light shining behind it) using just her hands. I watched the one called "You've Got A Friend" ...