Death Becomes Life
Death Becomes Life
Design Niki McKenzie & Cat McGurk | ICEHOTEL 37 | Available December 2026 - April 2027
About the art SUite
What once was becomes the foundation of what will be. Fungi are the mediator between life and death. Mycorrhizae spin an intricate web of life – connecting, sustaining, transforming. The rhizomorphs decompose fallen leaves, trees and animals as a gift to the earth. Death feeds life, just as life inevitably returns to death.
Death and life are intertwined in an endless cycle. Decay fuels whole ecosystems, returning to the collective whole. All becomes threads in the fabric of life. Without death, there would be no space for growth or transformation.
To move forward in life we must embrace the truth that death is its partner and cultivate a reverence for the intricate web that binds us all.
About the Artists
Niki McKenzie has no art training, just passion stamina and years in the kitchen honouring her eye for detail. She is the Artistic Director of Snowkings Winter Festival and draws inspiration from her Mãori heritage with stories, patterns and carving techniques.
Cat McGurk is a redseal carpenter and multidisciplinary sculptor born and raised in Canada's subarctic region. Being no stranger to snow, with a preference for cold and a passion for structure, Cat's snow sculptures harness the full potential of the material through thoughtful design.
