25th World Ice Art Championship banner.

The World Ice Art Championships is an ice sculpting contest in Fairbanks, Alaska produced on by Ice Alaska, a non-profit corporation started in 1989. The contest is the largest of its kind in the world and attended by more than 100 sculptors from 30 countries every year.[1] The contest also draws tens of thousands of spectators; in 2004, 48,000 people from more than 28 countries passed through the park's gates.[2]

History

A multi-block sculpture.

Ice Alaska put on its first ice art championship in 1991; it featured 16 sculpting teams and lasted a week. Today the event begins mid February and, weather permitting, lasts until the end of March, featuring the art and skill of as many as 75 teams from around the world.[3]

Locations: Through 2011, the ice festival took place on a 20-acre (8.1 ha) site across the Chena River from Pioneer Park, which the organizers leased from the Alaska Railroad.[4] In 2012 the event moved to a new location, the George Horner Ice Art Park.[5] In 2017, after a fire destroyed their main lodge, the Ice Alaska organization restructured to protect the future of the event. Then, in 2018 they reached an agreement with the Tanana Valley State Fair Association and moved the World Ice Art Championships, along with the associated Ice Alaska Ice Park, to the Tanana Valley State Fairgrounds.

Ice Alaska has negotiated with a new property owner to harvest ice blocks and transport them to the new venue; the ice is so clear it is referred to as "arctic diamond".[6] In addition to sculptures on view, the event features a Kids Park sculpted out of ice, including ice slides, an ice maze, an ice rink, and spinning cups.[7]

Events

Mexican sculptor Abel Ramírez Águilar with his work at the event
A single block sculpture

The championship is divided into three professional competitions, a youth event, and an amateur exhibition. abstract and realistic categories.

Single Block Classic

The Single Block Classic is open to 30 contestants. (One Artist and One Block of Ice) Each Artist is provided one block of Ice 6’x4’x3’ (roughly 1,720 lbs) and 48 hours to create a sculpture.

"Cool Brees" ice sculpture of Drew Brees
9-foot-tall (2.7 m) ice sculpture depicting New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees & titled "Cool Brees" at the 2010 World Ice Art Championships in Fairbanks, Alaska

Double Block Classic

The Double Block Classic is open to 25 Teams (2 Artists and 2 Blocks of Ice) Each Team is provided two blocks of Ice 6’x4’x3’ (roughly 3,440 lbs) and 72 hours to create a sculpture.

Multi-Block Classic

The Multi-Block Classic is open to 15 Teams (4 Artists with 9 Blocks of Ice) Each Team is provided 9 blocks of ice 6’x4’x3’ (roughly 15,490 lbs) and 132 hours to create a sculpture.

Youth Classic

This competition is held during the week of School Spring Break, usually the second week of March. Is open to ~5 to 15 teams. A Team is defined as 1 or 2 Carvers. Available to students in grades 8th thru 12th 2’ x 3’ x 2-3’ block of ice. The Youth Carvers have an opportunity to be mentored by Master Carvers who volunteer with the event to encourage the next generation of artisans.

Winners

YearBlockCategoryNameArtists
2010SingleRealisticBlue Ring OctopusJapanJunichi Nakamura United StatesHeather Brice
2010SingleAbstractIce DancingRussiaVitaliy Lednev RussiaSergey Loginov
2006SingleRealisticBeach WalkerUnited StatesSteve Brice JapanJunichi Nakamura
2006SingleAbstractFiddlerRussiaVladimir Zhikhartsev RussiaVitaliy Lednev
2006MultiRealisticBalto's ChargeUnited StatesSteve Berkshire United StatesMark Johnson United StatesStanley Kolonko United StatesCarl Eady
2006MultiAbstractSunrise Over Spring WaterRussiaSergei Zaplatin RussiaSergey Tselebrovskiy RussiaGrigoriy Ponomarev United StatesLarry Moen
2005SingleRealisticLeapUnited StatesSteve Brice United StatesAaron Costic
2005SingleAbstractFire of LoveRussiaVitaliy Lednev RussiaVladimir Zhikhartsev
2005MultiRealisticAnimal ParadeUnited StatesSteve Brice United StatesHeather Brown United StatesTajana Raukar United StatesMario Amegee
2005MultiAbstractGatewayUnited StatesAaron Costic United StatesGregory Butauski United StatesChad Hartson United StatesJeff Meyers
2004SingleRealisticColorful DuoUnited StatesPaul Raukar United StatesTajana Raukar
2004SingleAbstractThe DanceUnited StatesJennie Graham United StatesJames Stugart
2004MultiRealisticDragon BoatChinaYan Liansheng ChinaZhang Daquan ChinaMa Yue ChinaAn Quifeng
2004MultiAbstractMichelangelo Hi-Tech-The Creation of Ice ManRussiaVitaliy Lednev United StatesKaren Pless United StatesChuck Carpenter United StatesKathleen Carlo-Kendall
2003SingleRealisticGraceful PredatorJapanJunichi Nakamura United StatesTajana Raukar
2003SingleAbstractWhite DanceRussiaAlexander Zaitsev United StatesRegan Dillon
2003MultiRealisticFriend or FoeUnited StatesSteve Brice United StatesJoan Brice United StatesHeather Brown United StatesTajana Raukar
2003MultiAbstractSeed of PromiseCzech RepublicLumir Lang United StatesBen Firth United StatesCraig Araquistain United StatesAmy Moran
2002SingleRealisticKing of the SkyJapanJunichi Nakamura CanadaHideshi Terada
2002SingleAbstractFlame in the WindRussiaVladimir Zhikhartsev RussiaSergey Loguinov
2002MultiRealisticLeap of FaithUnited StatesTajana Raukar United StatesHeather Brown United StatesWendy Croskrey United StatesJoan Brice
2002MultiAbstractIce FallsCzech RepublicLumir Lang United StatesBen Firth JapanTokuji Nakano United StatesCraig Araquistain
2001SingleRealisticA Total Lack of SharingUnited StatesSteve Brice United StatesKevin Roscoe
2001SingleAbstractEnlightenmentRussiaVladimir Zhikhartsev RussiaSergey Loguenov
2001MultiRealisticPretendersUnited StatesAaron Costic United StatesSteve Brice FinlandMarja Pohjoisaho United StatesTajana Raukar
2001MultiAbstractThe Unison of LoveRussiaSergei Tselebrovski RussiaSergei Bannikh RussiaSergei Loguenov RussiaAlexander Zaitsev

See also

References

  1. Sculpture that melts in spring | csmonitor.com
  2. Travel Video
  3. "Past events". Ice Alaska. Retrieved 15 March 2013.
  4. "Fairbanks' Ice Alaska eyes 2011 lease". Fairbanks Daily News-Miner. April 16, 2010. Retrieved 15 March 2013.
  5. "Alaska Railroad helps Fairbanks ice park move to new location". Fairbanks Daily News-Miner. June 24, 2011. Retrieved 15 March 2013.
  6. "Harvest". Ice Alaska. Retrieved 15 March 2013.
  7. "Ice Park is a draw for Fairbanks families, visitors". Fairbanks Daily News-Miner. March 10, 2013. Retrieved 15 March 2013.

64°50′51″N 147°48′22″W / 64.84750°N 147.80611°W / 64.84750; -147.80611

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.