The Ice Bear cometh

The internationally renowned Ice Bear is coming to Sydney this June.

A ten-tonne block of ice measuring four metres in length and two point two metres high will be carved into the shape of a bear and perched in the forecourt of Customs House for World Environment Day.

The Ice Bear, carved by British sculptor Mark Coreth, was first exhibited in Copenhagen in December 2009 for the infamous Climate Summit and has since travelled the world, appearing in places like London’s Trafalgar Square and across Canada.

The project was given a financial boost at the last general council meeting with a resolution to grant $10,000 worth of funding to the project.

The exhibition will take place from June 2 till June 12 incorporating World Environment Day on June 5. The sculpture will slowly melt to reveal a bronze impression of a polar bear’s skeleton, a “powerful environmental message” according to councillor Phillip Black.

Members of the public will be invited to touch the ice sculpture, becoming part of the sculpting process and bringing attention to the impact of humans on climate change.

Organisers will also be running a master class in ice carving to coincide with the event.

Mr Coreth said that having the event coincide with World Environment Day would assist in raising awareness of the importance of climate change.

“I’ve been a long time believer that art can influence social issues and there is no more pressing issue than climate change,” he said. “I’ve travelled to the Arctic and witnessed the effects of climate change firsthand; the Ice Bear sculpture brings awareness to those problems back to the rest of the world.”

Lord Mayor Clover Moore MP said that climate change was the “most important issue” of our time and that it was “absolutely vital” to highlight its significance through projects like the Ice Bear. 

“This artwork will be installed during the VIVID festival when there will be large numbers of people in the city centre and also timed to coincide with World Environment Day,” she said.

“One of the greatest challenges we all face is global warming and it’s up to everyone to play their part – government, private business and communities,” she said. “That’s why this artwork is so important, it’s a startling reminder of what is happening to our world. We judge great artworks on how they make us think and feel.

“We hope this sculpture, which has already been installed in many other cities including London and Copenhagen, will inspire and challenge people to think about global warming and what practical action they can take.”