Ice Follies 2008

Nicole Dextras, Resource, 2008

Materials: Frozen Water & Wood

Resource was a new structural installation work by environmental artist Nicole Dextras from Vancouver, made of tower ice letters that melted and morphed with Lake Nipissings elements. The lake and the water labeled as a singular business term did raise valid and present questions regarding our environment, the most pressing concern of Canadians before the economic bubble burst, and our societys history of exploiting all natural resources available. During the installation process, Dextras further pointed out issues of ownership of water from a political perspective in local, national, and international terms, particularly with the polar ice melting and our environment drastically changing.

The letters are large, seven-foot-tall, produced in plywood, and filled with water on-site (crews pumped lake water into the letters). Once the water was solidly frozen the plywood was removed. A transparent lucid quality of the sculpture seemed to visually connect the ice plateau with the sky. The sun, light, and darkness changed the visual appearance of this project in the most beautiful ways throughout each day. This piece reflected on the ephemerality of nature, of architecture, and of our natural resources, with the water from the lake used in the letters eventually returned to join the elements natural cycle.

Following Ice Follies 2008, Nicole Dextras Resource became an iconic image of the event.

Artist Bio:

Nicole Dextras received her diploma in Interdisciplinary Studies from the Emily Carr Institute in Vancouver. A professional artist with is a studio on Granville Island, she exhibits for work regularly in both Canada and United States. Dextras art practice revolves around environmental art, mixed media, and photography. Publications of her work included Vancouver Review Magazine, On-Site Review, and MAP Magazine in Australia. She has been the recipient of national and provincial grants and she is a founding member of the BC Book Arts Guild. Recently Dextras was invited to create her ice words for a residency on Toronto Island.