What do people in Minneapolis do on winter days when the temperature often doesn’t climb much past zero? They bundle up and look for fun reasons to get outside and walk, skate, or ski on the city’s frozen lakes. For 4 weekends in January- February, that might include wandering out onto Lake Harriett in South Minneapolis to the Art Shanty Project. The ASP is a temporary art “village” consisting of several interactive, colorful, weird, and whimsical structures constructed in the middle of the frozen lake by local artisans. The (almost) annual event began in 2004 by two artists who were inspired by the “pop-up” ice-fishing communities that form every winter on ice-covered lakes all over the state. The fact that the temporary village can only exist because of (not in spite of) the cold, builds a commeraderie among the thousands who pull on their layers of long underwear, wool sweaters, parkas, and snowpants to come out to share the experience.
