Froid'art is coming back to Downtown Kingston in late January 2024! There will be ten blocks of ice with art frozen inside, and the blocks will glow at night! This event is brought to you by Martello Alley. Follow @martelloalley on Facebook and Instagram, or visit www.martelloalley.com for details and updates.
Q: What exactly is Froid'Art?
A: Froid'Art is art encased in ice. It may seem like a strange idea to some, but in Kingston it is becoming a winter tradition. Since 2015, I have teamed up with local artists to have Froid’Art, an outdoor illuminated ice art exhibit throughout the downtown. The thing that is unique about this is that it is all local artists. We all just want people to get involved and we want to make art accessible, especially in the winter.
Q: How did you come up with the idea?
A: I was chatting to Wendy, my wife, about walking to stay in shape. I pointed out that it was harder to walk around the city in winter because it is cold and dark, but maybe a little bit of art may make it more inviting. My wife commented that it would be vandalized and I thought not if it was in ice. I had the idea and we went for it. The first block was on our front lawn and it generated a lot of buzz and it has just spread from there.
Q: How long have you been doing this?
This is our tenth year.
Q: Are we allowed to touch them?
Yes, they are solic ice and weigh 300 lbs. You won't damage them by touching them.
Q: I noticed that in the past sometimes they are a bit fogged up, and you cannot see the art inside very well. What can be done?
If they are fogged up, just wipe the surface with your warm hand and the ice will become clear. But do not use your tongue - not recommended! ;)
Q: Can we take pictures?
Of course! Take lots of pictures and post to social media!
Q: What if there is a layer of snow covering the blocks due to an overnight snowfall?
Brush the now off with your mittens.
Q: When does this event end?
Froid'art ends when the blocks melt.
Q: What happens to the art when the blocks melt?
Most of the time, we are able to remove the artwork from the melting blocks. The art should survive, unless it has been vandalized near the end of the ice block's life.
Q: Do you have anything to add?
I want it to be our biggest and best ever. So I hope that everyone will get outside go walking around to find these pieces, take pictures of them, share them and tag and post about them to help spread the word. The best way to reach out to people these days is through social media. So we’re hoping the people of Kingston will jump on board and help spread the word about this event. Please take lots of photos and share on social media on your posts and stories. Tag @martelloalley so we can see your great photos!
