Asia

[Visited: February 2015]

After spending more time than I had anticipated in the city and on the Songhua river, I wondered whether I should head straight for the Ice and Snow World exhibition, or still give the Snow Sculpture Art a chance. The entrance turns out to be close to where I walk on the banks of the river, so I decide to go anyway. It only takes minutes to realize that I have made a very good decision. The exhibition has an outstanding array of sculptures, artfully crafted from snow. The sun shines on them relentlessly, reflecting a very bright light, and I am happy with my sunglasses.
Wherever I look, I am impressed. Enormous works of art, with carefully crafted details. Entire thematic scenes, of which the Apple is the most outstanding. Newton, gravity, Paradise, and the computer brand are all present here, and linked together in a masterpiece. Horses with hooves and manes, expressions in their eyes. Elegant women, some winged, slender bodies defined by sharp lines of white snow. Famous historical figures (Einstein, Darwin), which are so well done they can easily be recognized. But also: fantasy sculptures, with titles such as Dreaming of Summer. Futuristic snow sculptures. I keep walking back and forth, to compare, to look again, to see them from a different perspective.
Not far from the exhibition of the snow sculptures is a large square where an enormous building made of snow rises from the far end. People walking in front of it are dwarfed by this massive, white snow spectacle. Turrets and towers, crafted from snow, point to the intense blue sky. I walk closer, and the ensemble of the onion-shaped domes look like St. Basil Cathedral on the Red Square. No colours of course - just white. The weight of the snow makes the lower part of the structure bulge outward. A little further away, there is a Chinese temple through which visitors can walk. A group of dancers dressed in animal costumes starts to perform a dance, bringing colour to this white world. I move on, walk on a small lake where people can toboggan down a slide on rubber bands, and see two whales sculpted in snow. All the while, I have been wondering how all this snow is collected in a dry winter climate. After all, there is very little snow on the ground. A snow cannon gives the likely answer. It spews liquids into the air, which then solidify on the surrounding trees. I walk towards the west, past more sculptures, to the exit where a huge goat sculpted of snow welcomes the visitors, announcing the Year of the Goat, which will start a week later. The goat will probably melt away soon after that.

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Snow Sculpture Art Expo (China)

Snow Sculpture Art Expo > China > Asia

[Visited: February 2015]

Around the World in 80 Clicks