What can you do with a lake in January when you can't swim in it?
Why, build a festival on it, of course!
Behold--the sixth annual Art Shanty Projects. Described as "part sculpture park, part artist residency and part social experiment," the Projects are individually built and decorated ice houses, most with some additional function and purpose. For example, the Dicehouses:
are stocked with playing cards, dice, and games, meant to encourage people to enjoy the warmth of spending time playing together. There was much hilarity and giggling coming out of these Dice.
The Black Box Theater. Fully operational. See the website above for list of performances.
The Nemo Shanty/U.S.S. Walter Mondale is preparing for departure--come sing sea songs with the crew.
The Norae Bang Shanty appears to be making good use of realty signs that are perhaps underemployed these days; inside, it's all karaoke, all the time.
Yup. There are scientists on the lake.
The Confession Shanty. With a tip of the hat to Post Secret, visitors are invited inside to write their secret and post it on the Shanty. If you must put a name, first name only. But never fear:
The Art Shanty Projects, located on the east side of Medicine Lake in Plymouth, will be open to the public through Feb. 14. There are far more shanties than I've shown here; look for the sauna, the radio station, and the knitting shanty, to mention just a few. Check the website for scheduled events, live music, games like ice croquet and the world's largest cribbage board, puppets, movies, and more.
I love this! How did I not know about this when I lived in MN? How totally fun!
Posted by: Angela Nickerson | January 21, 2009 at 10:38 PM
Confession shanty! That's right up my alley....
Posted by: deb | January 30, 2009 at 07:53 AM
I heard about the Art Shanty Project in 2008 when my son, John was working on the Black Box Theatre ... I had to come out to see them... which I did we went to Medicine Lake on a bright, beautiful Saturday. What I witnessed and participated in was wonderful. Only In Minnesota!!!. This year I am viewing the project on my computer .... again it is totally amazing. Thanks for being and doing these kind of 'outlandish' things. Betty
Posted by: Betty Bueche-Schmidt | February 12, 2009 at 09:54 AM
Love it!! I linked you in my post: http://www.lovefeasttable.com/blog/fancy-friday-art-car -I am looking forward to visiting the Art Shanty Project this year! Any tips on my visit? Fun pics! ~Chris Ann
Posted by: LoveFeast Table | December 11, 2009 at 11:29 AM
This looks like an amazing event! How the hell did they manage to move all these boots on to the lake? It's just one amazing project! I love those great ideas that people bother to put in to action!
Posted by: truck rental | October 02, 2010 at 07:09 AM
I want to go there! It is so unusual and fun)))
Posted by: freelance writers | March 27, 2011 at 01:42 PM