Boldly Go Solo

Ice, ice everywhere and not a drop, or cube, is random. It's all been pared, whittled and sliced by talented ice carvers into, well, it depends on which story you read.

A Russian web site explains that the exhibit is inspired by the "best patterns of Russian national culture," from the Ice House of Anna Ioannovna, Empress of Russia to literary characters from Russian tales and fables.

The Washington Post describes the Gallery of Russian Ice Sculpture as holding works "from the monumental to the minute," from a bunch of grapes to a dinosaur to a complete bedroom (perhaps from the empress's palace?)

Either way, bring a coat. The temperature remains below 15 degrees inside the indoor gallery. If you visit in the spring or summer and don't happen to have wool or down outerwear, the museum will lend you a coat.

The artists who opened the indoor museum in Sokolniki Park plan to create new exhibits every year.

But it remains highly unusual that ice sculptures last even that long. A year must feel like forever for an ice carver. The beauty of ice indoors.

(In other ice-sculpure news, I wrote in 2009 about Minus 5, an ice bar in New Zealand.)