Beneath Your Feet
Beneath Your Feet
Design Iñaki Olabarri & Ainhoa Ruiz Zumalabe | ICEHOTEL 37 | Available December 2026 - April 2027
About the art suite
“Beneath Your Feet” reinterprets the fear of the monster under the bed through ancient Jotnar legends. The suite captures an ice giant, breaching our realm from a portal-like ice well. A defiant Jotun emerges, gripping the edge as if it’s invading the guest’s sanctuary.
Rooted in the Torne River – the legendary barrier between giants and humans – the well represents a sacred boundary. As long as the river flows, the giant is contained.
Here, guests sleep in a zone of tension, protected by the current from the looming savage force. This immersive encounter turns Norse mythology into a physical reality where the material’s roughness meets the delicacy of history.
About the artists
Iñaki Olabarri found, through figurative blacksmithing, the ideal language to express his creative visions. He was trained in Barcelona, and with a connection to iron through both family heritage and work in construction, his sculptures are shaped by fire and hammer, paying tribute to traditional crafts, the strength of manual labour and the memory of those who have dedicated their lives to these trades.
Ainhoa Ruiz Zumalabe grew up in a family of artists, although it took time for her to discover her own creative language. She is trained in early childhood education and have been involved in volunteering with people with disabilities since 2015. She understands creation as a way of fostering connections; attentive, listening and with empathy. Sculpture entered her life unexpectedly, revealing an authentic means of expression.
