Is democracy melting? With an ice sculpture, these artists think so
This discussion thread was locked as off-topic by GP6971 (a host of the Latest Breaking News forum).
Source: Roll Call
Members of the National Guard walk by a 3,000-pound ice sculpture created by artists Nora Ligorano and Marshall Reese on Wednesday. (Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call)
Posted October 15, 2025 at 3:35pm
As the government shutdown enters its third week with no clear end in sight, a 3,000-pound ice sculpture was unveiled on the National Mall, spelling out the word “democracy.” Glinting in the midday sun, it started melting almost immediately. Measuring in at 5 feet tall and 17 feet wide, the sculpture sat at Third Street NW on Wednesday, with the Capitol Dome rising behind it.
“I was born in D.C. … Both of my parents were federal workers. Many of my friends’ parents growing up here were also federal workers,” said artist Marshall Reese, who created the sculpture alongside fellow artist Nora Ligorano. “They worked hard, they raised families and they were driven by ideals to make Americans’ lives and the lives of people around the world better.”
A few blocks away, lawmakers on the Hill were locked in a partisan stalemate over how to reopen the government. But the pace near the sculpture was both faster and slower, as drops of water trickled off. “We see art as a catalyst, and it provides a different way of understanding the world around us,” Ligorano said.
Titled “Last Call – DemocracyICED,” the sculpture is part of a national campaign led by Ben & Jerry’s ice cream co-founder Ben Cohen called Up in Arms, which calls for less military spending and more money for social programs. Organizers planned to have it sit out all day until it melted.
Read more: https://rollcall.com/2025/10/15/democracy-melting-ice-sculpture-near-capitol/
= new reply since forum marked as read
