On Thin Ice

Exploring Climate Change through Art: Giant Pastel Oceanscapes and Icebergs Drawn by Zaria Forman Artist Zaria Forman is no stranger to working in challenging environments, the pursuit of her work has taken her from the Maldives to Nosara, Israel to Svalbard. And in 2012, as a part of her Chasing the Light project, she retraced the steps of American painter William Bradford, sailing up the northwest coast of Greenland. Along the way she documented the changing arctic landscape, gaining the inspiration for these nearly photorealistic works that exquisitely capture the atmosphere and mood of a landscape in flux.   Ephemeral Environmental Sculptures Evoke Cycles of Nature For over 20 years environmental artist and photographer Martin Hill has been creating temporary sculptures from ice, stone, and organic materials that reflect nature's cyclical system. Often working with his longtime partner Philippa Jones, the duo create sculptures and other installations that "metaphorically express concern for the interconnectedness of all living systems."     A Giant Twisting Serpent Skeleton Emerges from the Loire River in France Completed in 2012, Serpent d'océan is a giant aluminum sea serpent skeleton by artist Huang Yong Ping situated off the shore of the Loire River where it empties into the Bay of Biscay just outside of Nantes, France. Measuring nearly 425 feet (130 meters) in length the curving skeleton mirrors the curves of the nearby Saint-Nazaire bridge and was created as a permanent work for the final Estuaire contemporary art exhibition in 2012. Depending on weather conditions, tide levels, or the perspective of a photographer, Serpent d'océan appears dramatically different from day to day.   Culinary Photographers Create Edible Backdrops for a World of Miniature Inhabitants Against a tasty backdrop of pastries, fruit, and vegetables, photographers Pierre Javelle and Akiko Ida have created a series of humorous dioramas that depict miniature people going about their daily lives in an edible world. Titled MINIMIAM, a play on words that marries miniature and "yummy" (miam in French), the project has been ongoing since 2002 and was inspired by the married couple's profession as commercial food photographers.   Surreal Murals by 'Etam Cru' Turn Drab Facades into Eye-Popping Imagery Polish artists Sainer and Bezt, collectively known as Etam Cru, paint large scale murals of surreal and frequently humorous subjects in locations mostly around Eastern Europe. The duo traveled to the U.S. this year to paint this wildly popular mural titled Moonshine at the Richmond Mural Project depicting a girl sitting inside a jar of strawberries.   Vintage Porcelain Dishes Covered in Hordes of Hand-Painted Ants While the standard response to insects crawling across your food or dinner plate is usually nothing less than repulsion, that didn't stop German artist Evelyn Bracklow of La Philie from creating these one-of-a-kind vintage porcelain dishes covered in hordes of hand-painted ants. It's not hard to see that each piece is incredibly detailed and well-executed, making it strangely beautiful despite what it portrays.   The Brooding Black and White Photography of Guy Cohen Photography student Guy Cohen lives and studies in Jerusalem and travels to locations around Israel and elsewhere in the world to capture some of these great images that toy with aspects of light, shadow, and perspective. Although just 24 years old the emerging talent has been shooting for over 8 years and is currently working on a large project involving the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.