With Christmas fast approaching and the festive season well and truly underway, the Swedish village of Jukkasjärvi is gearing up for another busy winter with the annual opening of its iconic Icehotel.
Celebrating its 24th year, the frozen resort has introduced eight new Art Suites, each created by different artists, ranging from Mikael Nille Nilsson and Ingemar Almeros’ pop-art A Face in the Crowd to Marcus Dillistone and Magdalena Åkerström’s London underground-inspired Mind the Gap.
Collectively, artists from across the globe have intricately carved the suites from over 1,500 tonnes of ice, which was transported to the site in mid-November from the nearby Torne River.
”In November, Jukkasjärvi becomes a melting pot of influences, cultures and languages,” said Jens Thoms Ivarsson, director of design at Icehotel. “Everyone comes together to create art – it is a fantastic journey to be a part of.”
Everything in the hotel, from furniture to glasses at the bar, is made from ice and guests are welcomed between December and April each year.
Price: SEK 2350 (US $357) per person per night (based on two sharing an Art Suite)
www.icehotel.com
All photographs courtesy of Christian Strömqvist/Icehotel