Ice Sculpture
As a more modern type of art, this art form is much more self-explanatory. It is basically sculpture carved from ice. Obviously, frozen water is hardly as durable and long-lasting as stone, precise as wood, or great as bronze, but it can sculpt a great variety of sculptures. In the Northern Hemisphere, where there are longer winters and sub-zero temperatures, ice sculpture has populated to a newer form of public art. It can be compared to the sand sculpture more suitable for hotter climates. This ice sculpture can be seen in weddings, retail stores, and outdoor displays. Several art schools located in Canada, Alaska, and Sweden now teach ice sculpture to their students. Not to mention, there are a multitude of contemporary art festivals which include a sector for ice sculpture competitions annually.
Ice sculptors, despite the great beauty and hard work put into the sculptures, have to face many technical difficulties due to the properties of ice and water. Sculptures are typically carved from block or chunks of ice which are selected rather strictly to ensure suitability. The best ice would be considered to have pure, clean water, with no impurities. Ice carvers do not just stop there. They also use colored blocks with dyes before freezing. In today's era, ice sculpture is considered to be one of the most important artistic industries. The ice blocks that these sculptors use are first cut industrially from "ice quarries". The blocks are later transported to ice sculpting events with the use of heavy machinery. Sometimes, artists use power tools like chainsaws and die grinders to make sculptures on limited time. The usual instruments would also include a chisel or a hand saw. To color the ice, dye could be added before freezing, or additional gels or sand could be used as well.
Contemporary Ice Sculpture of the Lion King
Modern Ice Carving of Auguste Rodin's "The Thinker"
Interestingly, abstract sculpture is significantly less popular than representational shapes of, for instance, humans. This sculpture continues to stay relevant to today and has always inspired many. The idea that one could create such a magnificent work from a seemingly inflexible and rigid material truly shows how innovative and creative these artists were. The uniqueness of these works serves the reason as to why these sculptures continue to be a highly demanded piece for any occasion.
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