Dec 26th, 2008 · Santa Claus is melting in one of China's coldest cities. Each year Harbin hosts a world-renowed ice festival. This year's features a huge ice sculpture of the jolly old elf, 80 feet high. But a warm spell threatens giant Santa — he's slick and dangerous. Chinese officials still hope Santa will attract thousands and lift spirits — one said "when people feel happier they will want to spend more."
Oct 30th, 2008 · Two artists temporarily decorated Wall Street. They created an ice sculpture weighing 1,500 pounds. And they placed it in Manhattan's financial district. Like most ice sculptures, it's on display in above freezing temperatures. And in this case, the slow destruction of the sculpture is part of the point. The artists cut the ice so that it spells the word economy, and people passing by can watch it slowly melting.
Oct 17th, 2008 · Flora Lichtman, Science Friday's digital media producer, talks about an artist who crafts giant balloon sculptures after finding inspiration in the natural world.
Aug 20th, 2008 · This year's New York State Fair has brought something new to the time-honored butter sculpture. It has turned the tradition green. When the fair ends, the state university's College of Environmental Science and Forestry will convert the sculpture's 900 pounds of butter into biodiesel for the college's vehicles — enough to power five round trips to the Adirondacks.
Jul 17th, 2008 · You can fool some people all the time. And apparently, some people like to be fooled. The Brooklyn Museum is planning an exhibit of sculptures that were supposedly made by Christians in Egypt more than a thousand years ago — even though 10 of the 30 sculptures are confirmed fakes. The museum says they're popular and increase appreciation for the real art.
Jul 4th, 2008 · A very big cheese was used to sculpt the big cheesees of Independence Day: It's a one-ton cheddar cheese carved into likenesses of the Founding Fathers signing the Declaration of Independence. The artist, a Wisconsin native, says the sculpture should ripen enough on its tour of Philadelphia and New York to donate it later to food pantries.
May 10th, 2008 · The sculpture of Martin Luther King Jr. intended for a memorial on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., is too "confrontational," according to the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts. The commission's approval is necessary for any monument or memorial in the capital. The commission says the sculpture needs to be reworked.
May 1st, 2008 · Students say the creation contains a secret message left by the artist. On May Day every year the piece casts a shadow that resembles the hammer and sickle of the Soviet flag.