Imagine walking down a McKinley Park neighborhood street on a bright winter’s day, when you spy colorful, three-foot-tall ice sculptures sprouting from the snowy parkway. You can thank local artist Latham Zearfoss for putting that smile on your face, and for installing the "Stalagmite Creamsicles" embedded with seeds for native plants.
“The shimmering, gem-like allure of these sculptures is meant to heighten our appreciation for the healthy winter season," Zearfoss wrote about his exhibit in the 2400 block of West 34th Street, Chicago. They "may even inspire a bit of sadness as the sculptures shrink and disintegrate,” he said.
“The garden that will grow in their place will attract bees and butterflies, improve the soil and air, and give everyone who passes by a hopeful intervention of indigenous beauty amidst the concrete and asphalt of the surrounding neighborhood,” he said.
Seedbergs
Zearfoss has been looking for many years to work with ice sculpture, he said. “Stalagmite Creamsicles are essentially giant frozen seed bombs with nutrient-rich herbs.” Neighbors will see benefits in the spring when native plants start flowering, he said.
In fact, there may be other “seedbergs” blooming in the area this spring: Zearfoss created mini-Creamsicles to take home and plant for those attending the opening reception on Saturday, Feb. 26, 2022. Zearfoss called them "seedbergs" — a portmanteau of seedbomb and iceberg.
These contain native plant seeds embedded in the bottom of an ice packet that fits in the palm of your hand. Zearfoss encouraged reception attendees to place them in the warm sun and see what sprouts in the spring.
Benefit of Decomposition
Zearfoss hopes to expand this art project next year with support from Chicago’s Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, he said. His idea is to produce a larger version of this project in the boulevard space between South Western Boulevard and South Western Avenue near 34th Street.
“I am really drawn toward organic matter that will not only be able to decompose, but might also bring some benefit through the process,” he said.
Zearfoss' demonstration project was funded by a grant from the Greater Southwest Development Corporation. Anders Zanichkowsky assisted Zearfoss with the installation.
Photo of Latham Zearfoss and Viridiana Martinez provided courtesy of Sandra Oviedo of ColectivoMultipolar
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