As the government shutdown enters its third week with no clear end in sight, a 3,000-pound ice sculpture was unveiled on the National Mall, spelling out the word “democracy.”

Glinting in the midday sun, it started melting almost immediately.

Measuring in at 5 feet tall and 17 feet wide, the sculpture sat at Third Street NW on Wednesday, with the Capitol Dome rising behind it.

“I was born in D.C. … Both of my parents were federal workers. Many of my friends’ parents growing up here were also federal workers,” said artist Marshall Reese, who created the sculpture alongside fellow artist Nora Ligorano. “They worked hard, they raised families and they were driven by ideals to make Americans’ lives and the lives of people around the world better.”

A few blocks away, lawmakers on the Hill we

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