It's all gotta melt sometime

March 12, 2007 5:57 AM

The World Ice Art Championships are being held in Fairbanks, Alaska this week. If you can't be there to see this year's sculptures, you can view last year's winners in both the single block and the multi-block divisions. You can also see many stunning entries from previous years.
posted by cubby (15 comments total)

There are also pictures of this year's entries, thought winners have yet to be announced.
posted by cubby at 6:02 AM on March 12, 2007

um, though winners have yet to be announced
posted by cubby at 6:03 AM on March 12, 2007

"Tize of Zove"?
posted by DU at 6:21 AM on March 12, 2007

Ha! Irony alert! Ice art sponsored by BP!

I look forward to 2007's entry being a polar bear desperately swimming at the North Pole.
posted by imperium at 6:42 AM on March 12, 2007

Correction: ConocoPhillips sponsored the single block ironies in 2006, and BP sponsored the multi block ironies.
posted by imperium at 6:45 AM on March 12, 2007

Previously... Well, that was back in 2004, so I guess it doesn't count anymaore. Thanks for the post!
posted by soundofsuburbia at 6:50 AM on March 12, 2007

"Anymaore"?
posted by soundofsuburbia at 6:50 AM on March 12, 2007

Sorry for missing the previous post! I am impressed by the increasing complexity in the scultures even in just the past few years, so hopefully this is a good one to revisit.
posted by cubby at 7:19 AM on March 12, 2007

Oh, it's going to end just two days before I'm up there for a job interview!
posted by MsMolly at 8:04 AM on March 12, 2007

Also reminds me of the Alaskan Alpine Club's ice walls (previously on mefi).
posted by wenat at 10:02 AM on March 12, 2007

I love these sculptures. I watched some ice sculpturists one time on the Food Network create a swan. It's very clumsy work at first having to lump off the larger chunks with chainsaws and the like, but the way things come together is always amazing.


Here's a link to a video of what looks like it could be one of the pieces at this show or at least this type of competition (because of the white lights) which unfortunately collapses. (there's some distant chainsawing and a bit of screaming which might be loud)

I feel sorry for the artists because of all of the hard work which has to go into creating something of this size. But, like the title of this post suggests, it was going to melt sometime anyway.
posted by inconsequentialist at 4:46 PM on March 12, 2007

Absolutely gorgeous sculptures!! Thank you for this post!
posted by annieb at 6:23 PM on March 12, 2007

Way cool. Previously related.
posted by nickyskye at 6:30 PM on March 12, 2007

I used to work with one of the second place winners. Had completely forgot about him, and his crazy ice carving ways. Thanks for this post!
posted by vagabond at 8:36 PM on March 13, 2007

They also have ice festivals in Harbin.
posted by owhydididoit at 5:32 PM on March 24, 2007