Latest
issue
GET SPA BUSINESS
magazine
Yes! Send me the FREE digital editions of Spa Business and Spa Business insider magazines and the FREE weekly Spa Business and Spa Business insider ezines and breaking news alerts!
Not right now, thanksclose this window I've already subscribed.
Uniting the world of spa & wellness
Get Spa Business and Spa Business insider digital magazines FREE
Sign up here ▸
News   Features   Products   Company profilesProfiles   Press releasesProfiles   Magazine   Handbook   Advertise    Subscribe  
The arts
Light fantastic: Olafur Eliasson

As Olafur Eliasson launches his latest travelling exhibition in Singapore, Magali Robathan takes a look at some of the Icelandic artist’s most celebrated works


My first introduction to the work of Olafur Eliasson was The weather project installation at the Tate Modern Turbine Hall in London in 2003. Like so many others who visited the exhibition, I was mesmerised by the illusion of a huge, misty indoor sunset. It was immersive, sensory, and thought-provoking, and as I lay on the floor surrounded by other people also staring dreamily up at the ‘sun’, I felt as though I was part of something.

Eliasson has a strong belief in the power of art, and in the idea that art should be accessible to everyone. As well as simulating the sunrise in London, he has built waterfalls in New York, transported icebergs from Greenland to Europe, recreated rainbows and built a huge riverbed in a Danish museum. His solo shows have appeared in major museums around the world, exploring themes including nature, sustainability, perception, architecture, climate change and more. His most recent solo show, A harmonious cycle of interconnected nows, was used to inaugurate the new Heatherwick-designed Azabudai Hills Gallery in central Tokyo. The exhibition showcased a selection of Eliasson’s artworks, all connected, according to the artist, by ideas of “deep time, slowness, motion and geometry”.

Eliasson’s public space projects include The New York City Waterfalls – a large scale public art exhibition consisting of four man-made waterfalls at four sites on New York’s waterfront – Your rainbow panorama, a circular brightly coloured walkway at the top of ARoS Museum in Denmark; and Ice Watch, which saw him team up with geologist Minik Rosing to bring free-floating icebergs from a fjord outside Nuuk, Greenland to public squares in European cities to raise awareness of the climate crisis.

Other projects include the development of the Little Sun solar LED lamp with engineer Frederik Ottesen, designed to get clean, affordable light to people living without electricity worldwide.

Here we celebrate Eliasson’s work.
UPCOMING EXHIBITIONS

03 March 2024 - 08 September 2024
In Abwesenheit
Sammlung Philara, Düsseldorf, Germany

19 February 2024 – 02 June 2024
Message from Our Planet: Digital Art From the Thoma Collection
Chazen Museum of Art, Madison, United States

10 May 2024 - 22 September 2024
Olafur Eliasson: Your curious journey Singapore Art Museum, Singapore

7 June 2024 - 9 February 2025
Senin beklenmedik karşılaşman (Your unexpected encounter)
Istanbul Modern, Turkey

Read more from this issue of Spa Business magazine

View contents of Spa Business 2024 issue 2
Eliasson and Frederik Ottesen developed the Little Sun solar-powered products to bring reliable, affordable light to the 1.1bn people living without electricity
Eliasson and Frederik Ottesen developed the Little Sun solar-powered products to bring reliable, affordable light to the 1.1bn people living without electricity / The Davis Enterprise
Olafur Eliasson and his studio designed the facades of Harpa Reykjavik Concert Hall in Iceland in collaboration with Henning Larsen Architects
Olafur Eliasson and his studio designed the facades of Harpa Reykjavik Concert Hall in Iceland in collaboration with Henning Larsen Architects / Photo: Nic Lehoux. Courtesy of Eignarhaldsfélagi∂ Portus Ltd., Reykjavik, Iceland © Olafur Eliasson
Your rainbow panorama is a permanent work of art created by Eliasson on top of the ARoS Aarhus Kunstmuseum in Denmark. It opened in 2011
Your rainbow panorama is a permanent work of art created by Eliasson on top of the ARoS Aarhus Kunstmuseum in Denmark. It opened in 2011 / Photo: Thilo Frank / Studio Olafur Eliasson Courtesy of ARoS Aarhus Kunstmuseum, Denmark
The Ice Watch installation was created to raise awareness of climate change. It was installed in three cities
The Ice Watch installation was created to raise awareness of climate change. It was installed in three cities / Photo: Martin Argyroglo. Courtesy of the artist; neugerriemschneider, Berlin; Tanya Bonakdar Gallery, New York / Los Angeles
Eliasson’s Double spiral artwork was created from high grade steel and features an electric motor
Eliasson’s Double spiral artwork was created from high grade steel and features an electric motor / Photo: Shimei Nakatogawa Courtesy of the artist; neugerriemschneider, Berlin; Tanya Bonakdar Gallery, New York / Los Angeles © 2001 Olafur Eliasson
To create Life at Fondation Beyeler, Eliasson removed the facade separating the building from the garden and extended the pond into the galleries
To create Life at Fondation Beyeler, Eliasson removed the facade separating the building from the garden and extended the pond into the galleries / Photo: Mark Niedermann Courtesy of the artist; neugerriemschneider, Berlin; Tanya Bonakdar Gallery, New York / Los Angeles © 2021 Olafur Eliasson
The Azabudai Hills Gallery in Tokyo, Japan celebrated its opening with an exhibiton by Eliasson called A harmonious cycle of interconnected nows
The Azabudai Hills Gallery in Tokyo, Japan celebrated its opening with an exhibiton by Eliasson called A harmonious cycle of interconnected nows / Photo: Shimei Nakatogawa Courtesy of the artist; neugerriemschneider, Berlin; Tanya Bonakdar Gallery, New York / Los Angeles © 2010 Olafur Eliasson
The weather project, 2003 at London’s Tate Modern used a semi-circular screen, a ceiling of mirrors, and artificial mist to create the illusion of a giant sun
The weather project, 2003 at London’s Tate Modern used a semi-circular screen, a ceiling of mirrors, and artificial mist to create the illusion of a giant sun / Photo: Olafur Eliasson Courtesy of the artist; neugerriemschneider, Berlin; Tanya Bonakdar Gallery, New York / Los Angeles © 2003 Olafur Eliasson
FEATURED SUPPLIERS

MSpa Oslo series: a timeless bestseller
The MSpa Oslo series is a perennial bestseller in global markets. With innovative engineering and premium performance, this completely portable spa line-up is expertly designed to meet the needs of customers worldwide. [more...]

HPO Tech brings design-led hyperbaric systems to the spa floor
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy has moved well beyond the clinic and spa operators represent the fastest-growing market for the technology. [more...]
+ More featured suppliers  
COMPANY PROFILES
Aquaform

With a rich heritage in the spa industry, Aquaform offers a diverse array of water wellness experien [more...]
Saskia Spa

Founded in 2014, Saskia Spa continues to evolve as a professional luxury skincare brand. It forms pa [more...]
+ More profiles  
CATALOGUE GALLERY
 

+ More catalogues  

DIRECTORY
+ More directory  
DIARY

 

23-26 Aug 2026

Elevate Spa Riviera Maya Edition

The Riviera Maya Edition Kanai, Playa del Carmen, Mexico
31 Aug - 02 Sep 2026

SpaTec North America

Pier Sixty Six, Fort Lauderdale, United States
+ More diary  
 
ABOUT LEISURE MEDIA
LEISURE MEDIA MAGAZINES
LEISURE MEDIA HANDBOOKS
LEISURE MEDIA WEBSITES
LEISURE MEDIA PRODUCT SEARCH
 
SPA BUSINESS
SPA OPPORTUNITIES
SPA BUSINESS HANDBOOK
PRINT SUBSCRIPTIONS
FREE DIGITAL SUBSCRIPTIONS
ADVERTISE . CONTACT US

Leisure Media
Tel: +44 (0)1462 431385

©Cybertrek 2026
Uniting the world of spa & wellness
Get Spa Business and Spa Business insider digital magazines FREE
Sign up here ▸
News   Products   Magazine   Subscribe
The arts
Light fantastic: Olafur Eliasson

As Olafur Eliasson launches his latest travelling exhibition in Singapore, Magali Robathan takes a look at some of the Icelandic artist’s most celebrated works


My first introduction to the work of Olafur Eliasson was The weather project installation at the Tate Modern Turbine Hall in London in 2003. Like so many others who visited the exhibition, I was mesmerised by the illusion of a huge, misty indoor sunset. It was immersive, sensory, and thought-provoking, and as I lay on the floor surrounded by other people also staring dreamily up at the ‘sun’, I felt as though I was part of something.

Eliasson has a strong belief in the power of art, and in the idea that art should be accessible to everyone. As well as simulating the sunrise in London, he has built waterfalls in New York, transported icebergs from Greenland to Europe, recreated rainbows and built a huge riverbed in a Danish museum. His solo shows have appeared in major museums around the world, exploring themes including nature, sustainability, perception, architecture, climate change and more. His most recent solo show, A harmonious cycle of interconnected nows, was used to inaugurate the new Heatherwick-designed Azabudai Hills Gallery in central Tokyo. The exhibition showcased a selection of Eliasson’s artworks, all connected, according to the artist, by ideas of “deep time, slowness, motion and geometry”.

Eliasson’s public space projects include The New York City Waterfalls – a large scale public art exhibition consisting of four man-made waterfalls at four sites on New York’s waterfront – Your rainbow panorama, a circular brightly coloured walkway at the top of ARoS Museum in Denmark; and Ice Watch, which saw him team up with geologist Minik Rosing to bring free-floating icebergs from a fjord outside Nuuk, Greenland to public squares in European cities to raise awareness of the climate crisis.

Other projects include the development of the Little Sun solar LED lamp with engineer Frederik Ottesen, designed to get clean, affordable light to people living without electricity worldwide.

Here we celebrate Eliasson’s work.
UPCOMING EXHIBITIONS

03 March 2024 - 08 September 2024
In Abwesenheit
Sammlung Philara, Düsseldorf, Germany

19 February 2024 – 02 June 2024
Message from Our Planet: Digital Art From the Thoma Collection
Chazen Museum of Art, Madison, United States

10 May 2024 - 22 September 2024
Olafur Eliasson: Your curious journey Singapore Art Museum, Singapore

7 June 2024 - 9 February 2025
Senin beklenmedik karşılaşman (Your unexpected encounter)
Istanbul Modern, Turkey

Read more from this issue of Spa Business magazine

View contents of Spa Business 2024 issue 2
Eliasson and Frederik Ottesen developed the Little Sun solar-powered products to bring reliable, affordable light to the 1.1bn people living without electricity
Eliasson and Frederik Ottesen developed the Little Sun solar-powered products to bring reliable, affordable light to the 1.1bn people living without electricity / The Davis Enterprise
Olafur Eliasson and his studio designed the facades of Harpa Reykjavik Concert Hall in Iceland in collaboration with Henning Larsen Architects
Olafur Eliasson and his studio designed the facades of Harpa Reykjavik Concert Hall in Iceland in collaboration with Henning Larsen Architects / Photo: Nic Lehoux. Courtesy of Eignarhaldsfélagi∂ Portus Ltd., Reykjavik, Iceland © Olafur Eliasson
Your rainbow panorama is a permanent work of art created by Eliasson on top of the ARoS Aarhus Kunstmuseum in Denmark. It opened in 2011
Your rainbow panorama is a permanent work of art created by Eliasson on top of the ARoS Aarhus Kunstmuseum in Denmark. It opened in 2011 / Photo: Thilo Frank / Studio Olafur Eliasson Courtesy of ARoS Aarhus Kunstmuseum, Denmark
The Ice Watch installation was created to raise awareness of climate change. It was installed in three cities
The Ice Watch installation was created to raise awareness of climate change. It was installed in three cities / Photo: Martin Argyroglo. Courtesy of the artist; neugerriemschneider, Berlin; Tanya Bonakdar Gallery, New York / Los Angeles
Eliasson’s Double spiral artwork was created from high grade steel and features an electric motor
Eliasson’s Double spiral artwork was created from high grade steel and features an electric motor / Photo: Shimei Nakatogawa Courtesy of the artist; neugerriemschneider, Berlin; Tanya Bonakdar Gallery, New York / Los Angeles © 2001 Olafur Eliasson
To create Life at Fondation Beyeler, Eliasson removed the facade separating the building from the garden and extended the pond into the galleries
To create Life at Fondation Beyeler, Eliasson removed the facade separating the building from the garden and extended the pond into the galleries / Photo: Mark Niedermann Courtesy of the artist; neugerriemschneider, Berlin; Tanya Bonakdar Gallery, New York / Los Angeles © 2021 Olafur Eliasson
The Azabudai Hills Gallery in Tokyo, Japan celebrated its opening with an exhibiton by Eliasson called A harmonious cycle of interconnected nows
The Azabudai Hills Gallery in Tokyo, Japan celebrated its opening with an exhibiton by Eliasson called A harmonious cycle of interconnected nows / Photo: Shimei Nakatogawa Courtesy of the artist; neugerriemschneider, Berlin; Tanya Bonakdar Gallery, New York / Los Angeles © 2010 Olafur Eliasson
The weather project, 2003 at London’s Tate Modern used a semi-circular screen, a ceiling of mirrors, and artificial mist to create the illusion of a giant sun
The weather project, 2003 at London’s Tate Modern used a semi-circular screen, a ceiling of mirrors, and artificial mist to create the illusion of a giant sun / Photo: Olafur Eliasson Courtesy of the artist; neugerriemschneider, Berlin; Tanya Bonakdar Gallery, New York / Los Angeles © 2003 Olafur Eliasson
LATEST NEWS
Swissline opens renovated urban wellness destination Labo Spa in Zurich
Swissline has opened a flagship day spa in Zurich, Switzerland, called Labo Spa.
Gran Hotel Taoro opens Sandára Wellness Centre
Gran Hotel Taoro in northern Tenerife, Spain, has completed the final phase of its three-year renovation with the debut of its Sandára Wellness Centre.
Franchise expert Carrie Walsh joins Hand and Stone Massage and Facial Spa as CEO
Hand and Stone Massage and Facial Spa, the spa business with more than 650 locations across the US and Canada, has appointed franchise expert Carrie Walsh as CEO as the company plans to expand.
HCM Invest opens applications for pitching slots
The inaugural HCM Invest event has opened applications for pitching slots ahead of its launch in London on 21 October 2026.
Synergy – The Retreat Show invites consumer and industry perspectives on retreats for research
Synergy – The Retreat Show, the global trade show for retreats, has launched a global research initiative that will provide insights into the retreat sector from both consumer and industry perspectives.
Turkey is crowned the best massage nation at world championship
Turkey came first at this year’s World Championship in Massage between 3-5 July in Copenhagen, Denmark.
The Wellness Tourism Association publishes industry framework for ethical and responsible retreats
The Wellness Tourism Association (WTA) has published a non-regulatory global industry framework designed to ensure the retreat market offers responsible experiences.
One in three spa practitioners have considered leaving the industry due to concerns about their own wellbeing
A new survey of UK and international spa practitioners shows that stress, burnout and wellbeing concerns have caused one in three respondents to consider leaving the industry.
UK updates physical activity guidelines with focus on daily movement
The UK's four Chief Medical Officers have published a refreshed edition of Physical activity guidelines: UK Chief Medical Officers' report, updating the evidence that underpins the nation's physical activity recommendations and placing greater emphasis on strength, balance, reducing sedentary behaviour and, for the first time, supporting people taking weight loss medications.
Sauna advocate Becky Pelkonen drafts global public sauna-bathing charter
Becky Pelkonen, the sauna advocate and researcher, has unveiled the draft of a global public sauna-bathing charter.
Marriott International partners with Fitwel for wellness solutions across its residential portfolio
Marriott International has partnered with Fitwel, a healthy building certification system that aims to optimise occupant health.
Anna Bjurstam steps down from Six Senses to build new company Wahayla
Anna Bjurstam has left her role as Wellness Pioneer at Six Senses Hotels and Resorts and launched a new wellness, longevity and “consciousness consultancy” called Wahayla.
+ More news   
 
FEATURED SUPPLIERS

MSpa Oslo series: a timeless bestseller
The MSpa Oslo series is a perennial bestseller in global markets. With innovative engineering and premium performance, this completely portable spa line-up is expertly designed to meet the needs of customers worldwide. [more...]

HPO Tech brings design-led hyperbaric systems to the spa floor
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy has moved well beyond the clinic and spa operators represent the fastest-growing market for the technology. [more...]
+ More featured suppliers  
COMPANY PROFILES
Aquaform

With a rich heritage in the spa industry, Aquaform offers a diverse array of water wellness experien [more...]
+ More profiles  
CATALOGUE GALLERY
+ More catalogues  

DIRECTORY
+ More directory  
DIARY

 

23-26 Aug 2026

Elevate Spa Riviera Maya Edition

The Riviera Maya Edition Kanai, Playa del Carmen, Mexico
31 Aug - 02 Sep 2026

SpaTec North America

Pier Sixty Six, Fort Lauderdale, United States
+ More diary  
 


ADVERTISE . CONTACT US

Leisure Media
Tel: +44 (0)1462 431385

©Cybertrek 2026

ABOUT LEISURE MEDIA
LEISURE MEDIA MAGAZINES
LEISURE MEDIA HANDBOOKS
LEISURE MEDIA WEBSITES
LEISURE MEDIA PRODUCT SEARCH
PRINT SUBSCRIPTIONS
FREE DIGITAL SUBSCRIPTIONS