"After New York's first real snowfall in years, a leftover pile of plowed snow on Atlantic Avenue was briefly transformed into a massive, hyper-detailed sculpture that quickly became one of the city's most unlikely photo ops. First , the Snow King appeared outside the House of the Lord Pentecostal Church near Bond Street, where Belarusian artist Henrik Lojka carved a crowned, bearded face directly into the sidewalk snow. The sculpture came together in roughly three hours and didn't stay anonymous for long. Photos shared on Instagram and X, including by the popular @WhatIsNewYork account , sent curious New Yorkers to see it before it disappeared."
"By Sunday, around 50 people had stopped by to pose, stare and, in some cases, vandalize. Depending on who you asked, the Snow King looked like Poseidon, Aquaman or King Triton from The Little Mermaid. But Lojka told the that Lithuanian King Mindaugas inspired the figure and he deliberately began with the crown so it would stand out against the surrounding cityscape."
"Lojka, a former art teacher who moved to the U.S. in 2021, has a background in public art, including sand sculptures and street installations tied to Eastern European history. He has previously spoken about using his work to preserve cultural memory, an interesting concept for a piece that was never meant to last. And, unfortunately, it didn't. With temperatures climbing and rain in the forecast, the Snow King's reign was always going to be brief."
A pile of plowed snow on Atlantic Avenue was carved into a large, detailed crowned bearded figure known as the Snow King. Belarusian artist Henrik Lojka created the sculpture outside the House of the Lord Pentecostal Church near Bond Street in roughly three hours. Photos on Instagram and X, including from @WhatIsNewYork, drew about 50 visitors who posed, stared and sometimes vandalized the work. Lojka said Lithuanian King Mindaugas inspired the figure and that he began with the crown to ensure it stood out. Warmer weather and rain caused the sculpture to melt quickly, leaving only photos and videos.
Read at Time Out New York
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