The Ice Bear

By Julian Bickersteth, Managing Director, International Conservation Services

As a conservator working across various disciplines I have a penchant for sculpture as an art form. I think it is the three dimensionality about sculptures that I enjoy so much along with their tactile nature.

So when we were lucky enough to undertake conservation work with internationally renowned animal sculptor Mark Coreth on a number of his bronzes here in Australia, I was immediately working in one of my favourite areas.  Mark’s latest project involves carving a life size polar bear out of a 9 tonne block of ice and allowing it to melt to reveal a sculptured bronze of the bear’s skeleton frozen inside it. As a metaphor for global warming using art with a strong environmental message it appealed hugely to me, as I know how hard it is to bring home the truths about the effect of climate change.  Mark created the ice bear at the Climate Summit in Copenhagen in December 2009 and since then in London, Manchester, Toronto and Montreal. 

This sculpture struck me as having both a fourth dimension, in that it is almost kinetic as it melts, constantly shrinking and changing in colour , and a fifth in that it carries with it this incredibly powerful message of raising awareness of global warming.

I have been working over the last eighteen months to get ice bear to Sydney and finally last week end we made it happen in Customs House Square. 

It has struck an amazing chord with people and we have been inundated with visitors and media attention, the latter extending from the Times of India to Xinhua Chinese newsagency (http://www.cncworld.tv/news/v_show/15504_Ice_Bear_display_.shtml

Logistically it has had its challenges especially getting a big enough crane to place the frozen bear in the middle of Customs House square, but the response has made it all worth it. Check out this 360 degree view of it at night last Saturday http://www.mediavr.com/vividbear1.htm

Now fully melted, it will remain as a stark bronze skeleton in position until Saturday morning.

Me with the sculptor Mark Coreth ( on the left) and master ice carver Duncan Hamilton ( on the right). 

Julian Bickersteth

Managing Director

internationalconservationservices