Image via Complex Original
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Teams of artists from across the globe gather at snow festivals each year to create amazing sculptures that put the average snowman to serious shame. While the U.S. and Canada are building up steam, Asia reigns supreme in the snow-sculpting field, with hundreds of festivals throughout the winter, including two events that draw millions of people each year. The Sapporo Snow Festival in Japan, in its 63rd year, typically boasts 400 pieces of large-scale snow art. While the Harbin Ice and Snow Festival in China centers around illuminated ice sculptures, their massive snow pieces are stunning as well.
Pulling from competitions and festivals far and wide, check out the 25 most spectacular snow sculptures.
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25. Kondo of Horyuji Temple
Styled after the actual temple by the same name, this massive piece was created over a 30-day period for the 2006 Sapporo festival. Soldiers from a local army base lugged 2,700 metric tons of compressed snow in 450 trucks and helped artists with the heavy lifting. (Photo from Yamasa).
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24. Dinosaurs
The centerpiece of Sapporo 2004, the team of artists responsible for this impressive piece attempted to make the dinosaurs as true to scale as possible. (Photo from Starfires)
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23. Winged Horses
Workers put the finishing touches on carousel-like horses from last year’s festival in Harbin. Animals, both real and imagined, are a popular subject choice at festivals worldwide. (Photo from Irish Typepad)
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22. Yukon Horses
The Air Canada Snow Sculpture Challenge is held each year as part of The Yukon Sourdough International Festival and includes teams from Argentina, Spain, Switzerland and Japan, amongst others from the U.S. and Canada. Team Idaho created these three white horses as a tribute to Whitehorse, the city in which the competition takes place. (Photo from dacardoso)
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21. Russian Doll Heads
Snow is a flexible medium that lets the mind wander and create striking three-dimensional results. From Harbin in 2009, this sculpture reminds us of MUTO’s work. (Photo from Chrissie)
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20. Lion Dance
The masks used in lion dances, popular in several Asian countries, vary by nation and region. Featured at last year’s Sapporo Festival, this sculpture had attendees studying the intricate details to determine the mask’s derivation. (Photo from MagicSword!)
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19. Bear and Cub
This mother bear and cub were part of a larger tribute to animal life at Sapporo in 2010. The people in the picture give a good idea of the sculpture’s scale. (Photo from David McKelvey)
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18. Brussels Stock Exchange
The colossal and intricate Brussels Stock Exchange, complete with accurate reliefs and statues—not to mention flags for an extra touch—was made as part of an EU exhibit at the 53rd Sapporo Snow Festival in 2002. (Photo from ReggieNet)
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17. Japanese Cartoon Characters
Tributes to television, film and folkloric characters are popular amongst the children that attend the festivals. These popular Japanese cartoon characters appeared at Sapporo in 2011. (Photo from YesICanUseChopsticks)
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16. Nike, Goddess of Victory
Commissioned by The Whistler Art Council, this arresting sculpture of Nike, rests against the backdrop of the Canadian ski resort. The team that created the piece in 2006 is an association of artists from the Kootenay region of British Columbia. (Photo from Toshi Kawano)
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15. Snake Handler
One of the 11 sculptures from the Yukon Sourdough Rendezvous Festival in 2010, artists worked straight through the night to complete this work. (Photo from Yukon Sourdough)
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14. Davy Jones
This bust of Pirates of the Caribbean villain Davy Jones was created for the three-day Tokamachi Snow Festival in Japan. Challenged by Davy’s octopus-like tentacles, the artists managed to capture their wave-like motions. (Photo From lizardrinking)
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13. National Treasure Inuyama Castle
Modeled after one of the four national treasure castles in Japan and elaborately detailed, this castle wowed enormous crowds at Sapporo in 2008. (Photo from Christopher Chan)
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12. Abstract Sculpture
While most snow sculpturists choose tangible subjects, this smooth and interestingly curved abstract work was entered into The 2007 Budweiser International Snow Sculpture Championships in Breckenridge, Colorado. (Photo from TinDenver)
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11. Hunting in Winter
Also created for the Breckenridge competition, this sculpture from Team China was the 1st place winner in 2008. (Photo from TinDenver)
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10. Swooping Owl
Part of a larger piece at Sapporo in 2011, this owl swooping down to catch a fish was lauded for its accuracy in the minute detail. (Photo from MagicSword!)
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9. Blue Whales
These whales, created almost a decade ago at Harbin, are proportionately accurate. The flora and fauna pictured were copied from actual photographs. (Photo From Global Eyes)
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8. Windblown Woman
Placed in the expo’s main square at Harbin in 2009, this photo represents just a fraction of one of the biggest snow sculptures ever made at nearly 115 feet tall and over 530 feet long. Styling this woman’s hair proved especially dangerous as ladders wobbled on ice. (Photo from Robotnine)
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7. Fisherman and Fish
This imaginative sculpture of a man being eaten by a giant fish won accolades at the 2008 The Yukon Sourdough Rendezvous Festival. (Photo from David Cartier)
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6. Old School Dragons
Why are these dragons “old school?” They were featured over 40 years ago at the 1970 Sapporo Festival. Notice their long, tendril-like whiskers. (Photo from Cathy)
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5. Napoleon
A portrait of the young French leader on horseback was highlighted at Harbin in 2011. The immensity of the sculpture is ironic given the former monarch’s notoriously petite dimensions. (Photo from NYDailyNews)
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4. Happy Buddha
Gods and goddesses usually make an appearance at the Asian festival. This Buddha hails from Harbin in 2010. (Photo From Zimbio)
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3. Hindu God
From Harbin in 2008, this part-human god with unique iconography was a popular photo stop for practitioners of all religious sects. (Photo from Trent Strohm)
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2. Snow Train
Stairs on the left side of this locomotive, displayed at Harbin in 2009, allowed visitors to climb inside to be photographed looking out a train window. (Photo from frankartculinary)
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1. Château Frontenac
An accurate tribute to the national historical site in Quebec City, check out the awesome snow slides running down the front lawn of this piece from Harbin in 2007. (Photo from Todd King)