The Art Shanty Projects

This month, The Gates, the saffron fabric extravaganza by Christo and Jeanne-Claude, goes on view in Central Park; but right here in Plymouth we’ve got a quintessentially Minnesotan take on destination art. For No Name Exhibition’s first wintertime show, a couple of dozen artists have braved the vast white expanses of a frozen Medicine Lake to create “art shanties” and other works. (No worries–they’re not occupying any valuable ice-fishing areas!) Thanks to that subzero nastiness last month, many projects got off to a slow start, but the fun with some is watching them take shape (as with the ice painting shown here). On opening day, for instance, we watched a cascade of ice balloons tumble out of a van like diminutive bowling balls. With their balloon skins shucked, the ice blobs–each a gorgeous object unto itself–were destined to be piled into a pyramid and lit from within. Bring your skates (or snowshoes, depending) to the closing party on February 19. Frontage Rd. 7 & 18th Ave., Plymouth; 612-623-9176; www.artshantyprojects.org