Pyramid of Heaven

The gigantic Weisshorn rises to 4506 metres above val d’Anniviers and the Zermatt valley in the Swiss Valais. Its aesthetically pleasing north ridge is considered one of the most beautiful climbs in the Alps by topographical reference books.

I took this vertical photograph of the Weisshorn at the end of the day. The mountain rises proudly above the world, piercing the clouds to feed off the sun. It has just triumphed over a winter storm that covered its walls in immaculate snow. Its northern edge traces its path between light and shadow, the yin and yang of nature in perpetual motion. I love this balance of forms, sliced through by the light that inevitably guides our gaze to the summit of this extraordinary pyramid. But balance is nothing if it's inert. And the portrait suddenly takes on a life of its own as the cloud leaves summit and rises into the sky. The work then takes on its full dimension, transforming the cliché into an art photograph.

I was exceptionally lucky last year to complete this magnificent ridge run. An unforgettable adventure. One that changes you forever. A journey to the heart of the wilderness, to the heart of yourself, from which you never return unscathed. The high mountains make us grow and transcend, without fail. I painted this portrait of the Weisshorn after passing the Grand Gendarme. At such altitudes, I expected to see nothing but snow around me, even though there were numerous rocky passages along the ridge. Climate change is already having a terrible and irreversible impact on the summits Alps. More and more rocks will appear and this ridge, a true jewel of the Alps, will be disfigured. Looking at this picture of the Weisshorn, I feel privileged to have been able to walk on this legendary summit. I'm moved and proud to be able to bear witness, through my art, to this pure and fascinating beauty that was thought to be eternal, but whose immense fragility we now realize.