Strength and serenity

We are now facing Dent Blanche, one of the most beautiful summits in the Valais Alps, in Switzerland. From its height of 4358 metres, the mountain dominates val d’Anniviers, the Val d'Hérens and the Zermatt valley. In the foreground of the photograph, the Grand Cornier reveals its suspended glaciers. Dent Blanche is so phenomenal that Guy de Maupassant nicknamed it the "Monstrueuse coquette". Every year, I walk around this impressive pyramid to try and immortalize a new facet of its personality.

I particularly like this photograph, which highlights the exceptional stature of this fascinating summit . I produced this work during the summer of 2016. As I watched the weather evolve, I noticed the arrival of unusual disturbances for a month of June. I waited patiently for the storm to sweep over the mountain and cover its summit with snow. Then, during the night, equipped with all my gear, I climbed up to the viewpoint I'd spotted, on the val d’Anniviers side. At sunrise, when the snow stopped falling and the clouds cleared, Dent Blanche finally appeared to me, more majestic than ever. Its snow-covered walls outlined its purity, and the clouds still present underlined its power.

Most of my work is in black and white. But this vertical portrait of Dent Blanche is monochromatic. I wanted to preserve in the final work the beauty of the blue and grey hues present in the atmosphere that morning. They give the picture a celestial dimension, imbued with strength and serenity.