Copperhill Mountain Lodge is not only known for its architecture and breathtaking panoramic views, but also for its impressive art collection. Sune Nordgren, former director of the National Museum in Oslo, has been responsible for the decoration of the hotel's public spaces. We have had the privilege of collaborating with several prominent artists whose works adorn our spaces. These artistic initiatives help to create a unique and inspiring atmosphere, where art and design play a central role in the experience of our visitors.
In the library you will find a bright, urban motif that contrasts with the wilderness we find ourselves in. The artwork is created from two images: a lower one
printed on metal and an upper one printed on glass. The technique creates an exciting depth and three-dimensional effect. The photograph changes with the light and almost glows by itself in the evening. Born in 1951 in Essen, Germany, Axel Hütte is known as the 'landscape painter' among contemporary photographers. He lives and works in Düsseldorf, but photographs and exhibits worldwide.
On the terrace outside the restaurant are the luminous sculptures of Spaniard Jaume Plensa (b. 1955). They are visible from all floors and fill the entire patio with their charged presence. A conversation is taking place between two women, their eyes closed, as if in an inner dialogue. Irma, the elder, is from the Dominican Republic. She works as a maid in Barcelona. Nuria, the younger woman, is the daughter of the family that runs Barcelona's best Chinese restaurant.
Today, Jaume Plensa is one of the most recognized and sought-after sculptors in the world, with major exhibitions not only across Europe but increasingly in the United States and Japan. His works are often based on literary models such as William Blake and Oscar Wilde. The works are specially made for Copperhill, they are cast in fiberglass in Barcelona, sandblasted and equipped with 6 fluorescent tubes in each head that can be dimmed according to the light of the day and the season. The stone placed around them is marble from southern Spain.
The Spanish texts 'tattooed' on the faces of the two women describe the turmoil and stress of the times - the opposite of what their serene faces show. Irma's face reads Enfermedad (Illness), Hambre (Hunger) and Insomnia (Sleeplessness), the afflictions of those forced to live in a prison. Nuria says Ansiedad (Worry), Pánico (Panic) and Histeria (Hysteria), which afflict many in a straitened existence.
In winter, the sculptures shine like snow lanterns, in summer evenings like lanterns and are visible far out over the valley. With their light and their image of intimate encounters, the sculptures are symbols of Copperhill.
Charlotte Gyllenhammar's (b. 1963) small bronze sculpture Ute stands in the entrance hall by the reception. A little girl who has just been stripped of all her warm clothes in order to go out. A touching and slightly disturbing encounter - a lonely child - in a hotel lobby.
Charlotte is one of the leading Swedish artists of her generation. She made her debut in the late 1980s and works mainly autobiographically - and with a great closeness and feeling for the relationships between children and adults. It is certain that in time Ute will become completely white on the head after all the guests, not just the children, want to pet her, especially when they go out on the mountain. She's a good luck charm.
The Illuminator provides a welcoming red light, breaking the otherwise subdued interior tone of the lobby. The light is spread over several floors. The artwork was created in 2001 and has been shown in several exhibitions before coming to us. The fabric is stretched around a steel structure and illuminated by three low-energy lamps.
In the lower lobby hang three photographs with Greenhouse by Malmö artist David Svensson (b. 1973), a young Swedish artist who has gained a lot of attention, also internationally, in recent years. David works a lot with light: fluorescent tubes, chandeliers and images of light sources. These greenhouses shine like lanterns during the dark part of the year out over the Scanian plain. All to ensure that the life inside has the best conditions. The images are part of a longer suite with similar motifs.
Three paintings by Norwegian artist Sverre Wyller (b. 1953) hang in the lobby. They are painted on road signs, produced just like our usual roadside metal signs, but with new texts and symbols decided by Sverre.
The paintings are highly reflective and have become an exciting complement to the muted décor around the large fireplace and in the bar. The blue paintings bear the text Kiruna - Narvik, a pair of words describing distance but also community, much like Romeo and Juliet. The yellow sign reads Grense Jakobselv, which is Norway's outermost border with Russia in the far north.
Copperhill is located at the top of Åre-Björnen and is the end of the road. Therefore, the road signs remind us to travel, to come to this unique hotel and to leave.