Desert Breath
A vast double spiral of sand cones and craters in the desert near El Gouna — land art created in 1997 by D.A.ST. Arteam.
Land art on the Red Sea coast
Desert Breath is a monumental work of land art in the desert near El Gouna, on Egypt's Red Sea coast north of Hurghada. It was created in 1997 by D.A.ST. Arteam, a group of three Greek women — the artist Danae Stratou, the industrial designer Alexandra Stratou and the architect Stella Constantinides. Covering an area of about 100,000 square metres, the work consists of two interlocking spirals radiating from a central point, formed of cones of sand and conical depressions dug into the desert floor, their volumes precisely calculated so that each mound matches the hollow beside it.
Time and erosion
At its centre, the artists originally created a pool of water, symbolising the meeting of desert and sea. The work was conceived from the beginning to change with time: over the years, wind and sand have slowly softened its forms, and the installation is gradually returning to the desert, a process that is part of its meaning. The spiral pattern remains clearly visible, especially from above, and the site attracts artists, photographers and visitors interested in land art.
Visiting
Desert Breath lies in open desert a short distance inland from the main road near El Gouna. It can be reached by car or 4x4, with care, and is best seen in the early morning or late afternoon, when long shadows reveal the cones and hollows. Its full spiral is most visible from the air, and aerial images have made it famous worldwide.
Exhibo editorial
Standing at ground level, Desert Breath is a field of soft mounds and hollows in the sand, oddly regular, as if something had breathed on the desert and left a pattern. Walk towards the centre and the spiral begins to reveal itself, turning around you; seen from above in photographs, it is one of the most beautiful works of land art anywhere.
It's also a lesson in time: made in 1997 to slowly disappear, it is being taken back by the wind a little more each year. Go at sunrise or before sunset, when the shadows are long, and walk the spiral slowly before it vanishes.
Gallery
How to find it
Desert Breath lies in the desert a short distance west of the coastal road between Hurghada and El Gouna, near the El Gouna turn-off. From the main road, follow the desert track towards the site with a driver who knows the location; the spiral is laid out across a flat area of open desert.