Richmond’s beautiful Ice Gate greets you at O Zone

Richmond's colourful Ice Gate by artist Gordon Halloran. Photo: Ward Perrin

They're called Paintings Below Zero and that's what a group of local artists working with Gordon Halloran have been up to for several months. Inside a deep freeze chamber, Halloran and his group have been creating a frozen masterpiece that will become the Ice Gate, sponsored by Inniskillin Wines, at Richmond's O Zone. It sounds incredible, but CBC's Ian Hanomansing profiles the project, which you can view here on YouTube.

Ice Gate will be a massive piece of art, measuring 30 metres long and four metres high (100 ft x 12 ft). Inspired by a glacial wall in its final stages of movement towards the ocean, the painted ice will evolve over time as it melts and refreezes.

Inniskillin Wines, in addition to being the sponsor of Ice Gate, will erect a 60 foot tasting bar, the Icewine Gallery, where wine lovers can sample Icewine. Open from February 12-28, 2010, the Icewine Gallery hours of operation are 3:00pm – 11:00pm Monday to Friday, and 12:00pm – 11:00pm on Saturday and Sunday. Costs are $5 for half oz sample, or $10 for three half oz tastes.

Inniskillin is serving their Commemorative Icewine, produced in BC's Okanagan Valley, to coincide with this fantastic artwork. Released in 2008, this commemorative wine features Halloran’s unique artwork on the label. A portion of the proceeds from every bottle sold supports the Canadian Olympic team and the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.

Ice Gate will serve as the primary entrance to the Richmond O Zone for the duration of the Games, colourful paint will interact with the crystal composition of ice.

Halloran made his Olympic debut with his “Paintings Below Zero” installation as Canada's official representative at the Cultural Olympiad of the 2006 Olympic Winter Games in Turino, Italy. Using ice as his canvas, Halloran creates massive and boldly coloured paintings that have garnered worldwide acclaim. Inniskillin’s association with Gordon Halloran came about from a chance meeting between the artist and Inniskillin founder Donald Ziraldo at the 2006 Torino Winter Games. Their joint appreciation for art, ice crystals, Icewine and the changing temperatures that impact both provided the basis for the relationship to grow.

– cross-posted to CityCaucus.com by Mike