A Venus flytrap made from frozen Victorian gowns… That sounds like a terrifyingly interesting combination!
Through the media of frozen fabric and icicles, artist Nicole Dextras has crafted an ephemeral bouquet of winter flowers. The effect may be enchanting, but the form is meant to resemble giant, man-eating Venus flytraps from old science fiction novels.
"This bouquet however was made with ice; it made its big splash in the wintery forest and within a few days it was gone," said Dextras in an interview with This is Colossal.
The Victorian gowns used as the "petals" are held together entirely with ice, making each installation as impermanent as the winter season. Dextras creates many frozen sculptures this way, and her work often disappears without a trace, leaving only photos behind.
To build the strange icy figure, Dextras would spray the forms with water at night over several days when temperatures were at their lowest. With careful precision, she would wait patiently to build up the right composition of icicles and shapes. The work has since melted.
A self-described environmental artist, Nicole Dextras has created similar pieces around the globe. From iced gowns to wearable florals, much of her artistry is short-lived with minimal environmental impact. Her broader goal is to ground every-day urban life in the natural world, highlighting the fragility and vitality of our ecosystems and climate.
This Thursday, we're saluting Nicole Dextras and her frozen bouquets. You can see more of the artist's work on her portfolio site and on Instagram.