Joe Castillo’s performance of Get Together Sand Art uses the dynamic interplay of light and sand in motion to weave visual stories before mesmerized audiences of NBC’s America’s Got Talent 2012. Deftly moving through preliminary and advanced rounds of competition, Castillo, a native of Mexico City, family man and international artist, has been a favorite with show judges Howard Stern, Sharon Osbourne and Howie Mandel.
Castillo’s propulsion as a Finalist for America’s Got Talent derives from the enchanting novelty of his art medium. Sand, an intrinsically fleeting substance, is conducive to the malleability and dynamism of dramatized storytelling. That is, much like the sand castles loved by children then washed away by tides, sand-based storytelling captures the imagination while highlighting natural beauty that is here one moment, and gone the next.
Joe Castillo is confident in his ability to inspire audiences with his brotherly message, which is informed by a lifetime of devotion to his faith and country. In a previous round, he wove images of light and particulate shadows to the tune “Proud to be an American,” shaping the silhouettes of a man and woman into helmeted soldiers gazing at the American flag whose pole becomes a military weapon.
Castillo narrates a sandy slideshow revolving around the themes of love and solidarity to the music of the The Youngbloods’ “Get Together.” His performance as featured above has earned him a spot among the Finalists for Season 7 of the British-born global entertainment sensation.
Of course, not everyone is in favor of seeing Castillo in the finals. Howard Stern, rankled radio personality and Talent judge, apparently steamed about the geekiness of Joe’s characteristic beret, now admonishes the sand man for his lack of originality and repetitive content, much to the dismay of Castillo fans Osbourne and Mandel.
