Fundraising Ice, the book

Ice, the book, ingeniously designed by graphical designer Lies Ros with a preface of Tijs Goldschmidt (winner P.C. Hooft-prijs 2023), contains about 34 small texts and circa 35 fascinating historical photographs that tell about the incredible worldwide history of the ice trade. As well as in form and story, the book is clear as ice. It covers the period from natural ice trade to industrial-made ice in which it connected people worldwide, from America to India, Norway to The Netherlands, and Indonesia.

The form is inventive and readable from both sides. If you read the book in English, the story starts with the refrigerator and returns to the trade in natural ice. If one reads it in Dutch, it starts with natural ice and unfolds chronologically toward the time of the refrigerator. Every text has a title with the word ice in it, from ‘ice harvest’ to ‘ice cellar,’ from ‘dead ice hole’ to ‘ice plough.’ Transparent pages will be part of the book; the cover itself is also transparent, and the word ICE shines through.

Make this book possible by ordering

  1. Ice, the book: € 32,50 Order now
  2. Ice, the book + a filmstill from the film Es balok in passepartout*: € 95,- Order now
  3. Ice, the book + a filmstill from the film Es balok in pink on silk on wooden stretcher*: € 450,- Order now

* a signed and numbered work in edition

Carina Ellemers makes the complete profit of the sold works available for the book.

This special book is part of the ice-project. This project includes the documentary Es balok, Ice over the IJ and more in the future to come.


filmstill from the film Es balok in passepartout


filmstill from the film Es balok in pink on silk on wooden stretcher