In Finland, an architect creates ephemeral art on a frozen lake

An architect and designer from southern Finland has returned to a frozen lake With a snow shovel to draw an animal on the ice for the sixth year in a row, Creating a work of art that he hopes will “make people happy and encourage them to walk in beautiful nature.”.

On December 4, Basie Widgren drew a 90-meter fox in Lake Petkajärvi, North Helsinki. In previous years, he used a trowel to draw a bear and an owl, always using the same lake as a canvas.

Widgren has been attracting animals at local lakes every winter since 2016 near his home in a town not far from Lahti, a city of 120,000 people. The graphics disappear when more snow falls or when the snow melts.

The idea of ​​ephemeral art It came “suddenly two years ago when I realized I had a knack for coordination to do this kind of thing”, The 40-year-old told The Associated Press.

When he arrived at Lake Pitkajarvi this month, he tested the thickness of the ice to make sure it was thick enough to walk and work. It was 4 to 6 inches thick.

“Of course, I had snowdrops around my neck.”In case the ice broke and had to save himself, Widgren said. Four hours later, it was over.

“I drew the outline of the figure by walking and thinking it matched my fox’s picture, then I started ‘drawing’ with a snow shovel,” he explained. “I walked to the top of the cliffs ‘45m above the lake’ to see the end result, drank coffee from a thermos and took some pictures and videos as I remember”.

Wedgren said the fox was less visible on Monday because it fell a little bit of snow. “It is also very important to me that this kind of art does not leave any (mark) on nature.”, pointed out.

RM