Snow King sculpture on Brooklyn sidewalk transforms into a popular NYC tourist spot

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: A massive snow carving in Brooklyn has unexpectedly become a local sensation and drawn visitors from around New York and beyond.

The snow creation, known as the Snow King, emerged from a simple pile of snow on a sidewalk and rapidly gained attention on social media platforms.

What began as a spontaneous art piece has transformed into a small but lively tourist attraction, with onlookers stopping by to admire and interact with the sculpture.

The making of the Snow King sculpture

The Snow King sculpture was carved out of a large snow pile on a Brooklyn sidewalk outside the House of the Lord Pentecostal Church on Atlantic Avenue.

The imposing snow art was created by Belarusian artist Henrik Lojka, who shaped the snow into the likeness of a crowned, bearded face that he said is inspired by Lithuanian King Mindaugas.

Lojka completed the sculpture in an impressively short time of about three hours highlighting both his skill and the relative accessibility of impromptu art.

The artist, a former art teacher in Belarus, moved to the United States in 2021. His background includes creating sand sculptures, and he has since shifted toward snow and other public art forms.

Lojka’s experiences in his home country, where he spent time in prison for opposing Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko, have shaped his artistic outlook.

He aims to use his public artworks to highlight Belarusian history and cultural identity, especially in the face of growing Russian cultural influence.

Henrik Lojka attempts to preserve Belarusian heritage

On Sunday, December 28, roughly 50 people gathered on the sidewalk to admire the creation, many taking photos, posing with the sculpture, or closely inspecting details.

“It’s very creative, it looks like Poseidon,” said Gautier Ithorotz, a visitor from Paris who stopped to admire the piece.

Onlookers visiting the site compared the visage to various mythical or popular figures, including Poseidon, Aquaman, and King Triton from The Little Mermaid.

Some visitors were casual passersby who diverted from their usual routines to see the Snow King up close; one couple even detoured from a weekly walk to a nearby Yemeni restaurant so they could view the melting sculpture.

Interpreter Viktoria Lahunova said Lojka wanted the sculpture’s crown to look striking against the New York backdrop, starting his work with this prominent feature before moving downward on the piece.

Besides the Snow King, Lojka noted that he has sculpted two busts on Atlantic Avenue in front of a nearby Belarusian church. Through his artwork, he hopes to preserve cultural memory and keep Belarusian history alive in the public imagination.