Nipissing University third-year Fine Arts students, Ross Kozuskanich and Ellie Laberge recently collaborated with artist and Nipissing Associate Professor of Fine and Visual Arts, Andrew Ackerman, on a sculptural installation featured in the 2025 Ice Follies exhibition. Their piece, Fire and Flood, examined humanity's fragile relationship with nature, exploring themes of climate change and resilience. The installation resonated with the festival's theme, Ozhaashikwaa (The Ice is Slippery), capturing the instability and vulnerability of the natural world amid unprecedented climatic change.
Ackerman, a multi-disciplinary artist born in Wellington, New Zealand, has been contributing to Ice Follies for years. His work spans sculpture, installation, and drawing. Ackerman, who holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from York University and a Master of Fine Arts from The New York Academy of Art, has exhibited his work internationally, including at venues including the Alberta Craft Council in Edmonton, the Santa Paula Museum of Fine Art in California, and the Czong Institute for Contemporary Art in South Korea. His past Ice Follies installations such as Embodied Terrains and im pulse have garnered significant attention and recognition, further strengthening his place in the art community.
The installation featured a light-coloured wooden structure, partially charred, that stands in contrast to its snow-white surroundings during the day. As evening fell, the structure glowed, casting blue light through irregularly shaped gaps in the wood. These carved holes created silhouettes of trees, shrubs, and grasses, reflecting the natural environment. The compromised shelter, scarred as though ravaged by fire, houses a figure partially submerged in water, seemingly unaware of the predicament surrounding them.
In discussing the art installation, Ackerman shared, "Fire and Flood is a sculptural installation that delves into the complex and fragile connection between humanity and the natural world. Being part of Ice Follies is always an incredible experience. I'm grateful for the opportunity to contribute to a festival that challenges artists to engage with the environment in such a meaningful way. It's inspiring to collaborate with emerging artists and see how their perspectives add new layers to the work."
The Fine Arts program at Nipissing University provides students with a comprehensive education in visual arts, focusing on both technical skills and conceptual development. The program emphasizes hands-on experience and student participation in professional and community art projects, which helps them gain valuable exposure to artistic communities.
Kozuskanich reflected on the experience of working alongside Ackerman, sharing: "It was an incredible opportunity to experience the creation of a piece of public art and to see it come to life on the ice.
The collaboration between Ackerman and the students on Fire and Flood not only showcased the talent within the University's program, but also highlight its commitment to engaging with global issues such as climate change through art. The installation invited viewers to reflect on humanity's impact on the natural world and the ongoing challenges of environmental instability.
Ice Follies is a biennial winter art festival held on the frozen expanse of Lake Nipissing in North Bay, Ontario. Since its inception in 2004, the festival has transformed the winter landscape into an extraordinary and interactive outdoor museum featuring large-scale art installations, performances, and community-engaged artworks. This year's event continued that tradition, inviting art lovers and adventure seekers to experience original contemporary Northern Ontario and local Indigenous art in its most unexpected forms.
For more information about Nipissing's Fine Arts program, visit www.nipissingu.ca/academics/faculty-arts-and-science/fine-arts. To learn more about Ice Follies, visit www.icefollies.ca
