Tim Bengel

Inspired from a young age on trips to the Staatsgalerie Stuttgart near his home of Ostfildern, Germany, Tim started imitating drawings of artists like Cy Twombly and Kandinsky from the age of 9. He was confused what simple dashes of color could mean and started realizing the importance of defining his own style.

Earning his first art award at 18 for a collage about the European financial crisis made of coins, Tim was determined to define a technique with “great recognition value.” He developed his method of using sand, gold and glue between 2014 and 2015 before becoming a YouTube sensation by sharing videos of his process leading up to dramatic conclusions where he would reveal his intricate images by letting the un-glued sand and gold fall from canvases when turned vertical.

With over a quarter million social media followers, Tim now chooses his themes carefully, wanting each “to be a challenge” and “not to be subordinated to anyone or any ideology.”

When not producing, Tim engages himself with art and philosophy at the elite university of Tübingen. His focus is, therefore, to continue defining the unique qualities of his artistic expression while experimenting with new and bold methods. “My conviction is that arts can neither be learned nor taught. The whole of the arts needs to be absolutely free.”    

Two of his videos were viewed a combined 250 million times.