As Wednesday’s snowstorm began to subside, several unnamed artists banded together, creating what was best described as a sculpture garden in the Quad. A ragtag bunch of snow creatures took shape. Some of these attempts were minimalistic. Indeed, many a snow person around the campus had no corncob pipe or button nose. These faceless defenders of a winter’s day held together fine, indebted to their creators for sturdiness, if little else.
Others, however, were given extraordinary form, the most notable of which was the “Turkey Dinner” snow sculpture. A Stonehenge of sorts, this particular work was comprised of three turkeys in ritualistic formation. Colorized with Powerade and feathered with branches, these detailed sculptures were scaled to be far larger than the average turkey-and most any bird indigenous to the Massachusetts area. “Turkey Dinner” was a surrealist fantasy, a bold expression of youthful audacity.
“Hungry, Hungry Hippo” was another of the day’s finer works. The sculpture depicted the face of a giant hippo staring longingly into a field of chips. This particular snow creature was modeled after the popular Hasbro children’s game-it was more playful than “Turkey Dinner,” and admittedly, vaguely phallic in form. Perhaps a commentary on consumer culture, but probably not, “Hungry, Hungry Hippo” was similarly adorned in Powerade.
Other works took shape in the Quad throughout the day, mostly figures of vague human form. The snow humans of Boston College took on a multitude of personas, varying greatly in dress (and anatomical detail). These sculptures were a series of tragically temporary pieces of the imagination, made to be alive, if only for a day.
[Note: “Charlie Chaplin” and “Mother Snow-resa” were standing snow persons, accessorized for the purpose of this article]
1. The Hungry, Hungry Hippo
2. Charlie Chaplin
3. Turkey Dinner
4. Mother Snow-resa
5. The New England Classic
Photos by Emily Sadeghian.
