Thinning Ice

Studio Gang envisioned the exhibition as a lens, deploying the optical properties of Swarovski crystal and photographer James Balog’s sublime yet sobering images of glacial melt to focus attention on the urgent need for environmental action.

Sensitive to shifts in temperature, wind, and evaporation, ice loses its crystalline structure as it melts, assuming surprising, otherworldly forms. In documenting the world’s melting ice, Balog captures the beauty of these forms, yet his images also underscore the discomforting reality of the world’s changing climate.

Thinning Ice brings these fleeting glacial forms to subtropical Miami—one of many waterfront cities susceptible to extreme weather events. Human-scaled glacial structures establish a dynamic setting for dialogue on this critical issue. Embedded with a range of Swarovski crystal, from unprocessed fragments and shards to finely finished pieces, the structures’ voids echo the stunning yet disturbing formations of melting ice in Balog’s photographs, which enclose the display, defining the intimate scale of the space. Together, these captivating forms and imagery invite viewers to reflect on glacial melt and discuss the consequences of—and solutions to—the global climate crisis.