Soneva Slides into Sweden with Artist Jacob Felländer
Posted By: Sorbet
For an intimate dinner in Sweden, artist Jacob Felländer turns Soneva’s iconic waterslides into an installation, coupled with a special menu by Swedish chef duo Adam Dahlberg and Albin Wessman.
Courtesy of Soneva
Courtesy of Soneva
Some resorts have a signature scent, but Soneva has a waterslide. The Maldivian pioneer added slides on its overwater villas well before they became a familiar sight, on the simple belief that luxury should never get to the point of seriousness that it dismisses playfulness. Now, that sweeping curve over the Indian Ocean has packed its bags for Stockholm.
In late September, Swedish artist Jacob Felländer unveiled Soneva x Jacob Felländer: Joy Takes Form which reimagines the slide as a sculptural exploration of movement, freedom, and imagination. The setting was Slakthusområdet, Stockholm’s historic Meatpacking District and one of their largest urban development projects, home to the coolest music, food, and nightlife in the city. A raw industrial space here was transformed for one night, a world away from turquoise lagoons. Friends of Soneva and longstanding guests gathered for an evening of art, food, and conversation, bringing the Soneva archipelago to the city.
Courtesy of Soneva
The slide itself represents all the tenses of time. Metal that’s raw and weathered cherishes the past as a form of memories. The present lives in the mirrored surface, alive with reflections of light and movement from its surroundings. And final layer opens toward a future brimming with possibility, the sculpture central to a circular dining concept enclosing the artwork. “By reimagining the slide through his artistic lens, Jacob has captured the sense of curiosity, freedom, and joy, that has always been at the heart of Soneva,” says Soneva’s CEO Neil Gallagher.
Courtesy of Soneva
Then there’s dinner, which we’d equally cross a few time zones for. Swedish Michelin-chef duo Adam Dahlberg and Albin Wessman built a four-part menu around the elemental character of Soneva’s three-island cluster. Distilling the lush foliage of Soneva Fushi was Earth; Water took on the luminous world of the slide-filled Soneva Jani; and Soneva Secret’s solitude showed up through Air. The final course? Whimsy (naturally, the same sense we get from slipping down a slide).
Courtesy of Soneva
All this comes ahead of Soneva hosting artist Jacob Felländer for his residence at Soneva Fushi in November where the resort’s Bare Luxury philosophy comes into play. Forgoing the unnecessary to leave more room for wonder, curiosity, discovery, and connection, Jacob shares the sentiment in the creative scene, believing art has a vital role in reminding us of what makes us distinctly human, including our capacity for play.
Jacon Felländer’s installation will remain on display at Slakthusområdet until 31 December 2026, and his residence continues in Maldives from 12 to 24 November 2026.
Courtesy of Soneva
Courtesy of Soneva
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