A majestic sentinel of the eternal peaks, the Dent d'Hérens stands at 4173 metres between the Valpelline and Valtournenche valleys in the Valais Alps. I have unforgettable memories of the day I climbed the Dent d'Hérens ridge alongside Vivian Bruchez. It was one of my first outings in the high mountains. This mythical summit has always fascinated me by its imposing stature and difficult access. Trying to capture its essence becomes a journey in itself. I created this portrait of the Dent d'Hérens as a tribute to its grandeur. Its hanging glaciers, a natural treasure of the Alps, face their inevitable demise with each passing season. I contemplate them, helpless, gradually giving way to bare rock. Until, one day, it will bear only the greyish tint of its stones. As a powerless witness to climate change and its impact on the mountains, I can only bear witness to it through my photographs. I spend my time passing on to you the heritage of a high mountain in the midst of change.

The Dent d'Hérens is still shrouded in darkness, still disturbed by night-time gusts of wind. The elongated shadows breathe life into the work, delicately sketching the bewitching contours of its rock and ice. When light harmonizes with snow and stone, nature offers us the most beautiful of paintings.

I studied the weather conditions and the play of light at length before taking this photograph. This precise moment, when the tormented clouds part just enough to reveal the summit, represents the essence of my art: waiting for the mountain to agree to reveal its true nature to me. Through this work, I want to convey to you the emotion of encountering these natural monuments. The contemplation of high summits invites us to reflect deeply on our place in the universe, between humility in the face of greatness and responsibility towards the preservation of these endangered sanctuaries.