A snow sculpture inspired by Pietà, created on November 27 in front of Kookmin University’s College of Arts in Seongbuk-gu, Seoul.
SEOUL, Nov. 28 (Korea Bizwire) – Amid record snowfall across South Korea, students at an art university have turned winter weather into an opportunity for creative expression, crafting a remarkably detailed snow sculpture that recreates Michelangelo’s Pietà.
The original Pietà, housed in St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City, depicts Mary mourning over the body of Christ laid across her lap after his crucifixion. Renowned as one of Michelangelo’s masterpieces, it has long been a symbol of Christian art from the late Middle Ages through the Renaissance.
The Madonna della Pietà (Wikimedia Commons/CCL)
The snow sculpture, crafted with remarkable precision, quickly went viral online, drawing admiration for its artistic detail.
Comments ranged from, “This is as beautiful as the real Pietà,” to, “This is a gift of talent, not a waste of it,” and, “The artist must be exceptionally skilled to create such a piece out of snow.”
A snow sculpture inspired by Pietà, created on November 27 in front of the Kookmin University College of Arts in Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, has since melted away.
The sculpture was reportedly created on the morning of November 27 during heavy snowfall in Seoul, outside the art college at Kookmin University.
Despite its location, university sources suggest it was crafted not by an art student but by a software engineering student. Unfortunately, the ephemeral artwork has since melted.
Another snow sculpture has also captured attention on online communities—a snowman resembling the Venus de Milo.
Another snow sculpture has also captured attention on online communities—a snowman resembling the Venus de Milo.
The image shows a snow sculpture intricately crafted to mimic the iconic armless statue. However, this piece appears to have been created overseas.
The season’s first snowfall on November 27 brought a festive touch to Seoul, as various creative snowmen appeared throughout the city.
The Pietà snow sculpture’s fame extended beyond South Korea, attracting attention from international media. Vietnamese magazine Hoa Học Trò highlighted the piece in its coverage of Korea’s first snow of the season, stating, “One of the favorite activities of young Koreans during snowfall is building snowmen.
A remarkable work, recreated with meticulous detail and artistic finesse, has amazed online communities. The sculpture, inspired by Michelangelo’s Pietà, is a masterpiece crafted by students.”
A scene of a sanitation worker rolling snow on the ground to build a snowman has also become a viral topic on online communities
The creative spirit has spread beyond campus boundaries, with even a street cleaner photographed crafting snowmen during their rounds, drawing supportive messages from online observers amid the heavy snowfall.
Social media users have responded enthusiastically to these frozen artworks. “This isn’t a waste of talent – it’s a gift to the public,” wrote one commenter, while another suggested preserving the sculpture by spraying it with water to create an ice coating.
On November 28, after heavy snowfall blanketed Seoul and other central regions, snowmen crafted by citizens could be seen lining the streets of Yongsan District, Seoul.
Although short-lived, the snow sculpture left a lasting impression, showcasing the power of creativity even in fleeting forms.
The temporary nature of the snow sculptures has added poignancy to their appeal, with one online commenter noting that their inevitable melting only enhances their artistic value.
On November 28, as the snowfall that had lasted two days finally ceased, the view from Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul revealed Bukhansan Mountain blanketed in snow.
The creative burst comes after South Korea experienced significant snowfall, with the Korea Meteorological Administration forecasting continued precipitation through November 29 in various regions, including Gangwon, North Gyeongsang Province, southern Gyeonggi Province, Chungcheong, Honam, and Jeju.
Image credit: Wikimedia Commons, Captured from X (formerly Twitter) user @lastwithmy, Captured from Kookmin University’s Instagram, Yonhap / photonews@koreabizwire.com
