In the rarified atmosphere of the Austrian Alps, the Elizabeth Arthotel in Ischgl has marked International Women’s Day with the launch of Women in Frame, a new exhibition celebrating contemporary female artists while reflecting on more than a century of female heritage within the Aloys family.
Opening on the 8th of March and running until the 22nd, the exhibition forms part of the hotel’s season-long cultural programme, The Art of Legacy, which has been curated to mark the Elizabeth Arthotel’s fiftieth anniversary. The programme explores themes of continuity, memory and place through a series of exhibitions and archival displays across the winter season.
Founded in 1976 by Günther and Elisabeth Aloys, the Elizabeth Arthotel reflects a family legacy in Ischgl that spans more than a century. The lineage begins with Annemarie Aloys in the early 1900s, followed by Olga Aloys in the mid-twentieth century, before Elisabeth Aloys established the hotel itself. Today the property is owned and operated by her daughter, Mirjam Aloys, continuing the family’s long association with the region.
The exhibition Women in Frame brings together works by contemporary artists including Francesca Martí, Susana Anaya, Patricia Reinhart, Annette Goessel and Dhira Barein. Their work reflects on the presence and influence of women in artistic practice and cultural dialogue.
Erwin and Olga Aloys celebrate the opening of the Silvretta Bahn, 1963 (Courtesy of Elizabeth Arthotel)
A central element of the exhibition is the unveiling of a new rooftop sculpture titled Sissy, created by Austrian sister duo Mercedes and Franziska Welte, who work under the name NONOS. The work honours the hotel’s founder, Elisabeth Aloys, affectionately known as “Sissy”, a nickname referencing Empress Elisabeth of Austria and places female presence within the Alpine landscape overlooking the resort.
Annemarie Aloys, the heart of early family life, 1930s (Courtesy Elizabeth Arthotel)
According to the artists, the sculpture reflects the importance of recognising the women whose vision helped shape the present. In their words, the project was intended to honour legacy while acknowledging the role of memory and storytelling in shaping the future.
Alongside Women in Frame, the Art of Legacy programme includes the exhibitions Visions from the DACH Region (9–22 February 2026) and Architects of the Organic (30 March–12 April 2026), as well as an archival photography display tracing the Aloys family’s role in the development of Ischgl and the history of the hotel itself.
Francesca Martí (Courtesy of Elizabeth Arthotel)
The Women in Frame exhibition arrives during Women’s History Month, when institutions pause to recognise the role women have played in shaping cultural, social and economic life. In the Alpine world, where narratives tend to focus on sport, infrastructure and tourism, the quieter, generational role played by women in building communities and businesses is rarely sounded out. The Aloys family story, spanning more than a century in Ischgl, offers a compelling reminder that legacy in the mountains has not only been carved into the landscape by lifts and pistes, but also shaped through continuity, stewardship and the vision of strong women.
