From January 6-9, the 26th Snow Sculpture Contest took place in Harbin, China. A team from Bali earned an honorable third place. At first glance, it may seem impossible to train for such an art form on a tropical island, but talent knows no boundaries—even climatic ones.
Led by Nyoman Sungada, the Balinese team outperformed 120 participants from 30 countries. This achievement was particularly special for Sungada, as it marked the first time that novice sculptors from his home village of Pecatu, South Kuta, took part in the competition. The team is part of the local Artist Association and trained by crafting miniature sculptures from styrofoam.
Sungada himself is a well-known Balinese artist, born in Pecatu 62 years ago. He has competed internationally since the 1990s. His team has participated in the Harbin International Snow Sculpture Contest eight times and in Japan (Sapporo and Nayoro) five times. Unfortunately, the artists must fund their own trips, as they have no sponsors.
At the Harbin contest, Sungada and his team brought to life the concept of “Rwa Bhineda”, depicting the characters Barong and Rangda. This Balinese philosophy represents the dualism of life, emphasizing the harmony between opposites such as good and evil, light and darkness, happiness and suffering. These contrasts are seen as complementary and necessary for balance in the world.
According to Sungada, the team faced several challenges during the competition. Working in -26°C temperatures was tough, as the sun-soaked residents of Bali are unaccustomed to such extreme cold. Despite this, they successfully sculpted a 5-meter-tall snow statue in just three days.
“We received high praise from many artists. They immediately recognized: ‘Oh, this is Barong, this is Bali,’” Sungada shared.
Indonesia was represented by two teams at the festival: Indonesia Team I, composed of the Pecatu Artists Association, and Team II, made up of the Bali Artists Community. The second team also did not leave empty-handed, winning the “Best Excellent” award.
The first and second places went to sculptors from China and Korea, respectively.
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