ARCTIC MEAL
Course 5 // Ice cream made of spruce with cloudberry sauce and grated angelica chocolate
The Arctic and its reception
This final course of the conceptual dinner Arctic Meal refers not only to the forest, but also to a force increasingly shaping life in the North: social media. To reflect this, I chose a gin promoted as “handcrafted by the world’s northernmost distillery under the Northern Lights, using purified glacier water and local botanicals.”
The
#gin illustrates how global trends—such as Arctic tourism or the desire for exceptionally pure glacier water—reshape perceptions of the
#Arctic. These desires turn the region into a symbol of untouched purity, even as it rapidly changes. The image created in this way reproduces outdated stereotypes and overlooks complex present-day realities.
The climate crisis is transforming ecosystems in northern Sweden and across the Arctic. Rising temperatures and longer growing seasons push SPRUCE forests beyond their limits, increasing vulnerability to drought, pests, and bark beetle outbreaks. Warmer winters and unstable snow cover weaken roots and reduce growth. CLOUDBERRIES, a key Arctic plant, are also affected: disrupted flowering and pollination, extreme weather, and shifting permafrost reduce yields. These changes threaten biodiversity, traditional livelihoods, and food security.
#ANGELICA and other northern herbs are increasingly at risk due to warming, earlier snowmelt, and changing moisture patterns. JUNIPER is similarly affected: competing vegetation, drought, reduced snow cover, and rising pest pressure weaken slow-growing populations and limit regeneration.
The course was accompanied by juniper tea and Arctic gin, with a non-alcoholic alternative of juniper tea.
[Created during my residency at
#Ricklundgården in
#Saxnäs,
#Sweden, in collaboration with local chef Jonathan Johansson.]
#art #conceptualart #artistresidency #jonathanjohansson #climatecrisis #north #västerbotten
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Swaantje Güntzel
