Out in one of the driest places on Earth, the Atacama Desert, stands an enormous stone sculpture known as the Hand of the Desert.
Both visitors and those who learn about it online often have the same questions: Who built it? Why is it there? And what does it mean?
Join us as we explore the surprising story behind the Hand of the Desert and why it continues to fascinate visitors.
Meet the man who raised a hand in Chile’s desert.
Chilean sculptor Mario Irarrázabal created La Mano del Desierto, or Hand of the Desert, in 1992.
Since then, it has become an incredibly popular tourist attraction, drawing visitors from all over the world.
Born and raised in 1940 in Santiago, Chile, Irarrázabal moved abroad to study in Indiana, USA, and Rome, before training with renowned sculptor Otto Waldemar in Germany. Eventually, he held his first major art exhibition in 1970.
Irarrázabal is renowned for creating expressive human sculptures that address deep themes, such as loneliness or injustice. But hand sculptures are Irarrázabal’s special niche.
In fact, the Hand of the Desert in Chile is only one of the many hand sculptures he has made. You can find others made by him in Italy, Spain, and Uruguay.
Yet among all of them, the Hand of the Desert remains his favorite and most widely recognized work.
What the hand in the Atacama Desert represents.
This might come as a surprise, but when the Hand of the Desert was first built, there was no single fixed meaning behind it.
Irarrázabal even said he wanted each visitor to come up with their own interpretation.
However, over the years, common interpretations have emerged. For many, it represents just how vulnerable and fragile we are as humans.
But others see it as a symbol of human resilience, showing how we always manage to rise above even the most uncomfortable situations.
Now, there is another explanation that involves taking a look at another famous sculpture by Irarrázabal.
On the other side of the continent, a right-hand sculpture stands on the beach in Punta del Este, Uruguay (pictured above).
Together, they’re believed to represent Mother Nature’s hands holding up South America.
How a canceled factory sculpture became an iconic desert landmark.
The original idea for Chile’s Hand of the Desert sculpture was commissioned by a local cement company to sit out the front entrance to their plant in Los Andes, Chile.
Irarrázabal got to work with his designs, but the company went bankrupt shortly after, and the project was scrapped.
Still, Irarrázabal loved the concept. Not ready to give up, he reached out to some engineer friends who excitedly jumped on board.
Funding was next, which came from the Corporación Pro Antofagasta, a local organization that supports the development of Chile’s Antofagasta region.
The 36-foot (11-meter) sculpture was built on-site in the middle of the desert, using scaffolding and concrete poured in stages over a reinforced iron framework.
The whole process took several weeks, with crews carefully shaping each finger and contour by hand.
Thanks to its rugged construction, it’s likely to last for years to come.
What to know before you visit La Mano del Desierto in Chile.
If you’re exploring Chile, consider stopping to see the Hand of the Desert. While this sculpture is located far from residential areas, it’s not hard to find.
Most visitors begin by getting to the nearest town, Antofagasta, which is about 46 miles (75 kilometers) away from the site.
From Antofagasta, you can hop on a shuttle or taxi heading south, which will take you directly to La Mano del Desierto.
Once you get there, you’re free to have as much fun as you’d like and take lots of pictures.
However, remember to be respectful and don’t damage the sculpture by making any markings or graffiti on it. This way, others can continue to appreciate its beauty for years to come.
While most people see the Hand of the Desert as an expression of human frailty, its meaning is far from set in stone.
After all, it was the exact intention of the hand’s creator, Mario Irarrázabal, that we should all come up with our own interpretation.
So if you ever find yourself standing before the famous Hand of the Desert, let it speak to you—you just might walk away with a fresh perspective!
