Canada - Is this the coolest ride ever? A pickup truck carved out of ice is taken for a quick spin... before it melts! The vehicle has been carved out of more than 4,989 kg (11,000 lb) of ice as a Canadian battery company prepared the ultimate test for their product. They then drove it slowly for about 1.6 km (1 mi). It took 40 hours to melt.

1 / 44 Fotos

Sweden - Artist Tjaasa Gusfors poses next to her Jesus Christ ice statue outside Tomaskyrkan church in Västerås, west of Stockholm.

2 / 44 Fotos

England - Sculptor Duncan Hamilton works on the finishing touches of an installation set in front of the London Eye.

3 / 44 Fotos

China - Airborne cranes get their wings dusted off before being exhibited at the Harbin International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival.

4 / 44 Fotos

USA - Festivalgoers are 'filmed' by an ice sculpture shaped like a motion picture camera at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah.

5 / 44 Fotos

Switzerland - Twilight is reflected off ice sculptures depicting mythical beasts, on display near the peak of Switzerland's Mount Pilatus.

6 / 44 Fotos

England - Amy Rackham admires an ice sculpture of a Jubilee diamond to mark The Queen's Diamond Jubilee Year and the launch of the London Ice Sculpting Festival in the Reuters Plaza at Canary Wharf.

7 / 44 Fotos

France - An ice version of an Audi Q3 4x4 SUV displayed in the heart of Chamonix ski resort.

8 / 44 Fotos

England - A youngster gazes in awe at a life-size ice sculpture of a saber-toothed cat, which took center stage at the launch in London of the Royal Mail's new set of Ice Age animal stamps.

9 / 44 Fotos

Latvia - Detail of an ice sculpture named "Reality," by artist Elena Smirnova and Ivan Smirnov, at the International Ice Sculpture Festival in Jelgava.

10 / 44 Fotos

Netherlands - An ice artist puts the finishing touches to a locomotive in readiness for an ice sculpture festival in the town of Zwolle.

11 / 44 Fotos

Scotland - Ice sculpture artist Mark Cowan creates a cross out of ice on the Edinburgh Castle esplanade as part of the city's St. Andrew's Day celebrations.

12 / 44 Fotos

Russia - Artists work on their ice sculpture, called "Faceless," as they prepare for the Magical Ice of Siberia festival in Krasnoyarsk.

13 / 44 Fotos

Austria - The Ski Alpine Skiing World Cup Preview at Schladming is promoted using ice sculptures in the shape of a giant snowflake and a slalom skier.

14 / 44 Fotos

England - Two young children get front row seats at Winter Wonderland's Magical Ice Kingdom in Hyde Park, London.

15 / 44 Fotos

Canada - A lion roars at Winterlude, the annual winter festival held in Ottawa.

16 / 44 Fotos

Norway - To celebrate the 70th birthday of King Harald V of Norway, an ice sculpture was created outside the Royal Palace in Oslo.

17 / 44 Fotos

Germany - A sculptor working from a 3D illustration carves a sculpture depicting Mainz Cathedral during the Eiswelt Mainz Snow and Ice Sculpture Festival. The event no longer takes place.

18 / 44 Fotos

England - A life-sized sculpture of Caesar on horseback made entirely of ice towers over Londoners in Covent Garden to celebrate the release of 'War for the Planet of the Apes' (2017) on Blu-ray and DVD.

19 / 44 Fotos

Israel - An ice carver from China chips colored ice as he works on an ice sculpture for the Jerusalem Ice Festival.

20 / 44 Fotos

Kazakhstan - A woman swipes frost next to a bunny ice sculpture during an ice and snow festival at the 8 Lakes Resort outside Almaty.

21 / 44 Fotos

Japan - A display of ice flower sculptures are smoothed out before being set up for public viewing in Tokyo.

22 / 44 Fotos

England - A visitor looks at one of the ice sculptures created at London's first ever Ice Sculpting Festival held at the Natural History Museum in Kensington.

23 / 44 Fotos

Spain - An artist works on his ice sculpture in central Madrid, ahead of the On Ice Madrid exhibition.

24 / 44 Fotos

Italy - Created by Brazilian artist Néle Azevedo, this sculpture is part of a melting work of art that represented a performance called "Monumento Minimo." It lasted just a couple of hours.

25 / 44 Fotos

China - A newlywed couple pose for their wedding photographs in front of an ice sculpture after their group wedding ceremony at the Harbin International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival.

26 / 44 Fotos

England - London's Primrose Hill is noted for its fine city panorama of famous landmarks. Here's more or less the same view condensed and created in ice.

27 / 44 Fotos

Russia - An inmate from a regional prison finishes an ice sculpture for decoration at an internal prison yard in the Siberian city of Krasnoyarsk.

28 / 44 Fotos

United Arab Emirates - Artist, sculptor, and painter Mark Ranasinghe winging it at his studio in Dubai.

29 / 44 Fotos

Belgium - A decorative princess waves to the crowds at Bruges' Ice Sculpture Festival. The event has since been discontinued.

30 / 44 Fotos

England - People view an ice sculpture of a penguin shopping in London's Leicester Square.

31 / 44 Fotos

Latvia - An ice statue called "Where do dreams swim to?" exhibited at the International Ice Sculpture Festival in Jelgava.

32 / 44 Fotos

Russia - Pegasus, the winged horse in Greek mythology, in full flight at the Festival of Ice Sculpture at the Peter and Paul Fortress in St. Petersburg.

33 / 44 Fotos

England - A London resident takes time out to pose against an ice sculpture of a clock in Parliament Square, this to highlight global warming.

34 / 44 Fotos

Netherlands - A carved representation of part of Anne Frank's diary is included in the exhibition of ice sculptures at Zwolle.

35 / 44 Fotos

Canada - Visitors are given an ice cold welcome at the Lake Louise Ski Resort prior to the start of the FIS Alpine Skiing World Cup.

36 / 44 Fotos

Belgium - Sculptor Sven Morawietz of Germany carves a sculpture of a diver at the Snow and Ice Sculpture Festival in Hasselt.

37 / 44 Fotos

Russia - Daria Krupenyova, from the town of Prokopyevsk in Kemerovo, finishes working on an ice sculpture called "Cossack's Duty" during the Magical Ice of Siberia festival in Krasnoyarsk.

38 / 44 Fotos

USA - An official adjusts an ice sculpture before rededication ceremonies at the Old Post Office Building in St. Louis, Missouri. The sculpture recreates the building's historic facade.

39 / 44 Fotos

Russia - Sculptor Dmitriy Klimenko shapes his ice sculpture into a winter scarecrow dedicated to Maslenitsa, or "Pancake Week", in St. Petersburg.

40 / 44 Fotos

England - Celebrity tattoo artist Henry Hate helps launch the Nissan Cube car in London with his installation "Cube in a Cube." It's a giant ice cube, etched with tattoos, enclosing the vehicle.

41 / 44 Fotos

England - Artist Wenistus Asanga Amerasinghe—one of the world's most revered ice sculptors—creates an astronaut ice sculpture at the Ice Box HQ in London.

42 / 44 Fotos

Worldwide -

Tools of the trade: besides axes and chainsaws, ice sculptors also use an array of smaller implements to get the job done.

43 / 44 Fotos

0 / 44 Fotos

1 / 44 Fotos

Sweden - Artist Tjaasa Gusfors poses next to her Jesus Christ ice statue outside Tomaskyrkan church in Västerås, west of Stockholm.

2 / 44 Fotos

England - Sculptor Duncan Hamilton works on the finishing touches of an installation set in front of the London Eye.

3 / 44 Fotos

China - Airborne cranes get their wings dusted off before being exhibited at the Harbin International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival.

4 / 44 Fotos

USA - Festivalgoers are 'filmed' by an ice sculpture shaped like a motion picture camera at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah.

5 / 44 Fotos

Switzerland - Twilight is reflected off ice sculptures depicting mythical beasts, on display near the peak of Switzerland's Mount Pilatus.

6 / 44 Fotos

England - Amy Rackham admires an ice sculpture of a Jubilee diamond to mark The Queen's Diamond Jubilee Year and the launch of the London Ice Sculpting Festival in the Reuters Plaza at Canary Wharf.

7 / 44 Fotos

France - An ice version of an Audi Q3 4x4 SUV displayed in the heart of Chamonix ski resort.

8 / 44 Fotos

England - A youngster gazes in awe at a life-size ice sculpture of a saber-toothed cat, which took center stage at the launch in London of the Royal Mail's new set of Ice Age animal stamps.

9 / 44 Fotos

Latvia - Detail of an ice sculpture named "Reality," by artist Elena Smirnova and Ivan Smirnov, at the International Ice Sculpture Festival in Jelgava.

10 / 44 Fotos

Netherlands - An ice artist puts the finishing touches to a locomotive in readiness for an ice sculpture festival in the town of Zwolle.

11 / 44 Fotos

Scotland - Ice sculpture artist Mark Cowan creates a cross out of ice on the Edinburgh Castle esplanade as part of the city's St. Andrew's Day celebrations.

12 / 44 Fotos

Russia - Artists work on their ice sculpture, called "Faceless," as they prepare for the Magical Ice of Siberia festival in Krasnoyarsk.

13 / 44 Fotos

Austria - The Ski Alpine Skiing World Cup Preview at Schladming is promoted using ice sculptures in the shape of a giant snowflake and a slalom skier.

14 / 44 Fotos

England - Two young children get front row seats at Winter Wonderland's Magical Ice Kingdom in Hyde Park, London.

15 / 44 Fotos

Canada - A lion roars at Winterlude, the annual winter festival held in Ottawa.

16 / 44 Fotos

Norway - To celebrate the 70th birthday of King Harald V of Norway, an ice sculpture was created outside the Royal Palace in Oslo.

17 / 44 Fotos

Germany - A sculptor working from a 3D illustration carves a sculpture depicting Mainz Cathedral during the Eiswelt Mainz Snow and Ice Sculpture Festival. The event no longer takes place.

18 / 44 Fotos

19 / 44 Fotos

Israel - An ice carver from China chips colored ice as he works on an ice sculpture for the Jerusalem Ice Festival.

20 / 44 Fotos

Kazakhstan - A woman swipes frost next to a bunny ice sculpture during an ice and snow festival at the 8 Lakes Resort outside Almaty.

21 / 44 Fotos

Japan - A display of ice flower sculptures are smoothed out before being set up for public viewing in Tokyo.

22 / 44 Fotos

England - A visitor looks at one of the ice sculptures created at London's first ever Ice Sculpting Festival held at the Natural History Museum in Kensington.

23 / 44 Fotos

Spain - An artist works on his ice sculpture in central Madrid, ahead of the On Ice Madrid exhibition.

24 / 44 Fotos

Italy - Created by Brazilian artist Néle Azevedo, this sculpture is part of a melting work of art that represented a performance called "Monumento Minimo." It lasted just a couple of hours.

25 / 44 Fotos

China - A newlywed couple pose for their wedding photographs in front of an ice sculpture after their group wedding ceremony at the Harbin International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival.

26 / 44 Fotos

England - London's Primrose Hill is noted for its fine city panorama of famous landmarks. Here's more or less the same view condensed and created in ice.

27 / 44 Fotos

Russia - An inmate from a regional prison finishes an ice sculpture for decoration at an internal prison yard in the Siberian city of Krasnoyarsk.

28 / 44 Fotos

United Arab Emirates - Artist, sculptor, and painter Mark Ranasinghe winging it at his studio in Dubai.

29 / 44 Fotos

Belgium - A decorative princess waves to the crowds at Bruges' Ice Sculpture Festival. The event has since been discontinued.

30 / 44 Fotos

England - People view an ice sculpture of a penguin shopping in London's Leicester Square.

31 / 44 Fotos

Latvia - An ice statue called "Where do dreams swim to?" exhibited at the International Ice Sculpture Festival in Jelgava.

32 / 44 Fotos

Russia - Pegasus, the winged horse in Greek mythology, in full flight at the Festival of Ice Sculpture at the Peter and Paul Fortress in St. Petersburg.

33 / 44 Fotos

England - A London resident takes time out to pose against an ice sculpture of a clock in Parliament Square, this to highlight global warming.

34 / 44 Fotos

Netherlands - A carved representation of part of Anne Frank's diary is included in the exhibition of ice sculptures at Zwolle.

35 / 44 Fotos

Canada - Visitors are given an ice cold welcome at the Lake Louise Ski Resort prior to the start of the FIS Alpine Skiing World Cup.

36 / 44 Fotos

Belgium - Sculptor Sven Morawietz of Germany carves a sculpture of a diver at the Snow and Ice Sculpture Festival in Hasselt.

37 / 44 Fotos

Russia - Daria Krupenyova, from the town of Prokopyevsk in Kemerovo, finishes working on an ice sculpture called "Cossack's Duty" during the Magical Ice of Siberia festival in Krasnoyarsk.

38 / 44 Fotos

USA - An official adjusts an ice sculpture before rededication ceremonies at the Old Post Office Building in St. Louis, Missouri. The sculpture recreates the building's historic facade.

39 / 44 Fotos

Russia - Sculptor Dmitriy Klimenko shapes his ice sculpture into a winter scarecrow dedicated to Maslenitsa, or "Pancake Week", in St. Petersburg.

40 / 44 Fotos

England - Celebrity tattoo artist Henry Hate helps launch the Nissan Cube car in London with his installation "Cube in a Cube." It's a giant ice cube, etched with tattoos, enclosing the vehicle.

41 / 44 Fotos

England - Artist Wenistus Asanga Amerasinghe—one of the world's most revered ice sculptors—creates an astronaut ice sculpture at the Ice Box HQ in London.

42 / 44 Fotos

Worldwide -

Tools of the trade: besides axes and chainsaws, ice sculptors also use an array of smaller implements to get the job done.

43 / 44 Fotos

The frosty world of the ice sculptor

Impressive ice sculptures from around the world

03/02/22 | StarsInsider

LIFESTYLE Winter

Winter sees some truly magnificent international ice festivals hosted across the world. But there are many other occasions when ice is used to incredible effect—for example, to promote a product or celebrate an anniversary. And what about the ice sculptors themselves? Theirs is a frosty, often anonymous world where few know the names behind works of dazzling skill and shimmering beauty.

Browse this gallery and take a look at ice artists at work, as well as some of the more unusual and less publicized ice sculptures created by them.