For these artists, the most important moment of building a sculpture is burning it down

They built a massive dire-wolf in Edmonton — just to set it on fire

Media | For these artists, the most important part of building a sculpture is burning it down

Caption: A group of what we're calling "pyro-sculptors" built a massive dire-wolf in Edmonton, just to set it on fire.

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Let's just say it: winter is horrible. But in Edmonton, it's also become a reason for these local artists to spark up a massive bonfire — just to burn down their own work. It's pyromania turned public art.
For ten years, this group of Edmontonians have been experimenting with fire art and for them, it's become as much a tradition as the Silver Skate Festival(external link) is for Edmonton. This year, as one of the teams participating in Silver Skate's "Fire Sculpture" event(external link), they spent three weeks building a 15-foot dire-wolf to match the theme "Land of the Golden Apples." Most of the production happens offsite, at home or in a friend's studio, but the sculpture is assembled on-site on the day of the burn.

Image | Pyro sculpture

Caption: (CBC Arts)

Lead designer Loren Albrecht(external link) was drawn to the idea of fire sculpture because of its semi-permanence. And fellow artist Dina Dumonceaux(external link) isn't at all bothered by the fact that the artwork takes weeks to create and just minutes to disappear. Fire art allows her to use all of her creativity. "You can really go where your imagination leads to...because you're going to let it go, you're going to burn it down and you're going to cheer while it happens," she says.
In this video by filmmaker Tamarra Canu(external link) featuring drone footage by Mat Mathews(external link), follow the pyro-sculptors as they collect, design and build this year's blazing masterpiece.
Watch Exhibitionists(external link) on Friday nights at 12:30am (1am NT) and Sundays at 3:30pm (4pm NT) on CBC Television.