Joe Mangrum
The Sandman Artist
I am a New York-based contemporary artist whose sand paintings and large-scale installations have captivated audiences across the globe.
I’m Joe Mangrum, a New York City-based artist best known for creating intricate, large-scale sand paintings and immersive installations.
Explore my work and watch my interview with Mark here.
Over the years, I’ve completed more than a thousand ephemeral sand works in public spaces around the world—each one poured by hand, on site, in the moment.
I was born in Florissant, Missouri, and studied Fine Art at The School of the Art Institute of Chicago. After graduating, I travelled across North America, exploring natural wonders and indigenous cultural sites that deeply influenced my creative direction. I began by using collected plants and flowers to make temporary artworks, which laid the foundation for my interest in transience and organic form.
In 1995, I moved to San Francisco, where my work expanded to include materials like auto parts, technology, and found objects. My first solo installation was at San Francisco State University. Over time, I developed a visual language that draws from marine life, botanicals, and cross-cultural symbolism, infused with vibrant colour and environmental themes. My installations and sand paintings often explore the tension between natural systems and urban life.
My sand paintings are entirely hand-poured, using a technique that shifts between graffiti-like precision at ground level and soft, diffused gestures from above. Influenced by mandalas, street art, and the natural world, these pieces are intentionally temporary—created to engage the present moment.
In 2003, I was honoured to receive the Lorenzo de Medici Award in New Media at the Florence Biennale for my piece Fragile. Since then, my work has been exhibited at the Museum of Arts and Design, the Asia Society, the de Young Museum, the Museum of Contemporary Art North Miami, the Sunshine Museum in Beijing, the Doe Museum in the Netherlands, and The Flag Art Foundation, among others.
Some highlights include a 24-hour performance installation called Asynchronous Syntropy at the Museum of Arts and Design, and a commission for designer Prabal Gurung during New York Fashion Week in 2018. I’ve also created permanent public works, such as a sand painting embedded in the sidewalks of San Francisco’s Mission District, and installations for events like Coachella, Art Basel Miami, and Project Miami.
Education and outreach are also close to my heart. I’ve led workshops and talks at the School of Visual Arts, SUNY Geneseo, Adelphi University, the United Nations International School, and more. Sharing my process with students—from museums to primary schools—has been an important part of my journey.
I'm passionate about environmental and humanitarian causes and have contributed to efforts with organisations like Riverkeeper Alliance, Love For Japan, and World Environment Day. My work has been featured on Sesame Street, PBS’s Spark, Humans of New York (where my sand-covered hands appear on the cover of the bestselling book), The New York Times, CNN, LA Times, and the UK’s Antennae Journal.
Through sand, colour, and form, I aim to transform everyday spaces into temporary meditations—inviting people to slow down, look closer, and reconnect with the moment.
