Stretching out in the Sahara desert, the cones of the Desert Breath are land art installations designed by Danae Stratou, Alexandra Stratou, and Stella Konstantinidis. They are located near Hurghada on the Red Sea coast. After years of construction, the project was completed in 1997.
The project covers an area of about 10 hectares. When seen from the air, the full effect becomes clear. 89 protruding and 89 depressed (incised) cones spiral out from one another in geometrically precise arms that increase in diameter the further they get away from the central axis. At the center, a cone rises out of a large central pit originally filled with water. Despite its unadorned look, the geometrical precision of the sand art installation creates a sense of wonder and makes it interesting to the eye.
In short, the Desert Breath was built to be destroyed by nature. The creators have stated that it was meant to suggest an experience of infinity, with the desert as a landscape of the mind. It was built to slowly erode back into the sand it was created from. Since its construction, it has begun to do just that. After years of its creation, although in a state of slow disintegration, the Desert Breath is still viewable by satellite. Through its slow decay, it has been seen as an instrument to measure the passage of time.
Unfortunately, the artwork is subject to natural disasters like erosion therefore the area will return to its original state in due course. It is not as large as it was when it was installed, but it still attracts attention.
