Cavedigger (2013)

One of his clients describes him as the sandstone equivalent of a cocaine addict and watching the now sixty-five year old Ra Paulette excavate and decorate his caves entirely from scratch, that seems quite an apt description. Using a startling lack of technology, he sets about creating intricately designed structures that are like sand castles, only in reverse. These go downwards. It’s fair to say that this man is self-motivated and so some of his commissioners have been less than impressed with his more individualistic approach to his work (on their land, and/or with their cash), but he seems to always have been able to retain a degree of friendship even if the project wasn’t quite completed on schedule or at all. I must admit that watching this, I did wonder what might happen to his creations should it rain? The ease with which he cuts through the sandstone gives what he creates an appearance of the temporary; that a torrent of rain could easily wash away. This man is a skilful designer, part architect and part structural engineer, who is entirely self-taught and who relies upon his own graft and creativity to conjure up some sculptures that are impressive to look at. Personally, his designs are a little too ornate for my taste, but there’s no doubting this a talented man entirely at home for hours on end with just his dog, his wide-brimmed hat and his pick axe, and this is worth half an hour.