N'ice and easy does it at ice carving contest<\/p>\n
By William Furney<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Anyone who has read Paul Theroux's Riding the
\nIron Rooster, by train through China will know of the wonders of
\nHarbin, the algid Chinese city where remarkable ice sculptures
\nremain all winter long.<\/p>\n
This was not the case, however, last Wednesday when teams from
\nhotels around Jakarta gathered under the blazing sun in the
\nKaraoke Hall of Hotel Bumi Karsa, Jl. Gatot Subroto, South
\nJakarta. There were no aging depictions in ice here, for the
\nmidday sun saw to it that their lifespans lasted about 10
\nminutes.<\/p>\n
Amid the sounds of crashing sculptures and ever-increasing
\nmelting waters, despite the efforts of hotel staff to suck it up,
\nice professionals beavered away with saws fit enough to fell the
\nlargest of trees. Soon though, from the rigid blocks of ice they
\nstarted off with, emerged shapes of fantasy: birds of paradise,
\nexotic fish and tigers.<\/p>\n
This was the third Hotel Human Resources Manager Association
\n(HHRMA) Ice Carving Competition, usually an annual event but due
\nto the ongoing economic crisis and prevalent demonstrations,
\nthere was none last year.<\/p>\n
As the carvers, from hotels including The Hilton, Grand Hyatt
\nJakarta, Hotel Borobudur, The Gran Melia and The Shangri-La, were
\nwhittled down and those remaining took up their knives for the
\nfinal heat, a panel of judges carefully monitored their every
\nslice of ice. With an hour to fashion a creation, they worked
\nnon-stop in the hope of winning a prize medal, some occasionally
\nslipping on the waters streaming down below them.<\/p>\n
\"We're looking for something original; if you walked past it
\nin a hotel, you'd stop and say 'that's amazing'\", said one of the
\njudges, Patrick Marty, executive chef at the Aston Atrium Hotel
\non Jl. Senen Raya, South Jakarta.<\/p>\n
\"The criteria for judging include the technique the carvers
\nuse, the degree of difficulty and whether they complete the
\nsculpture within the allotted time of one hour,\" he explained.<\/p>\n
As Patrick was speaking a sculpture of two fish collapsed
\nbehind him, \"I don't think that one will do well,\" he exclaimed,
\npointing out that after the sculptures had been completed, they
\nhad to stand for at least 10 minutes. \"There were fissures in
\nthat one which caused it to collapse. It wasn't strong enough.\"<\/p>\n
Indeed, when the final heat was over and the carvers stood
\nback to admire their work, to the applause of those gathered
\naround, some sculptures were so delicately balanced that they
\nsoon disintegrated. One of the most outstanding pieces of work
\nhad two carved birds attached at right angles to a column of ice.
\nBut unlike the real thing, however, the birds soon fell to the
\nground.<\/p>\n
But fear not, the next time you are lunching in a restaurant
\nof a five-star hotel. The sculptures adorning presentations are
\nfrozen overnight in a deep freezer, according to one of the
\nsculptors, who is a carver at a hotel in Jakarta. The cool air in
\nsuch restaurants keeps the pieces from toppling and destroying
\nboth the food and the clothes of guests.<\/p>\n
But the Karaoke Hall of the Bumi Karsa is not equipped with
\nair-conditioning, as one side is open to the outside, thus not
\nensuring longevity for the ice sculptures.<\/p>\n
After a period of deliberation, the judges (they took longer
\nthan expected as the decision, they said, was difficult) returned
\nand announced the winners. Satria Effendi of the Sheraton Bandara
\ntook the gold medal with his creation Urban Bird, Masruri, from
\nthe Gran Melia walked off with the silver for Grouper Fish, and
\nfrom the Grand Hyatt, Haryo was awarded the bronze medal for a
\npiece titled Harmony.<\/p>\n
As the winners stood beside their minuscule creations -- which
\nhad by now melted into something resembling the twisted face of a
\ngargoyle -- photographers and television camera crews shot and
\nrolled tape while negotiating pools of water.<\/p>\n
A remarkable show of skill, determination and a battle against
\nthe odds (or rather the odd -- the sun), the competition gave a
\nglimpse into the world of icy creations. For the carvers, a spell
\nin Harbin would surely be a frozen dream come true. But for now,
\nthe air-conditioned environs of their respective hotels will have
\nto suffice.<\/p>",
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