The Zinalrothorn

An awe-inspiring vertical portrait of the Zinalrothorn, an iconic mountain in the Imperial Crown of Zinal, in the heart of the Valais Alps. In the foreground of this black-and-white aerial photograph, summit exposes its northern ridge to the rising sun. We can contemplate the immensity of its north face and the splendour of its hanging glaciers. Behind it, the Matterhorn,Obergabelhorn and the The Dent d'Hérensbehind him are the Matterhorn, the Matterhorn and the Matterhorn, telling the epic tale of a thousand-year-old kingdom that forged its power in contact with the sky.

I painted this portrait of the Zinalrothorn in 2020. After two dry winters, the mountain has finally been swept by a snowstorm. I felt the intimate need to be up there, to experience this unique moment with him. That morning, stripped of clouds, the sky shone brightly. Flying over summits in a helicopter, I admire these colossi of rock and ice without tiring of it. For so many years now, I've been returning again and again, to rediscover them, to surprise them in a new light, to draw new emotions from them. They inspire my art as they nourish my soul.

In this photograph, I wanted to highlight the grandeur of the Zinalrothorn's hanging glaciers. Few mountains boast such spectacular views, and it's a privilege to have been able to immortalize them in this way. See how open and ready they are to collapse. Their smooth surface is cracking. This adds beauty to the work, but also reveals their doom. In a few decades, they will exist only in our memories. This saddens me deeply. Seeing them disappear is a tragedy. When I'm lucky enough to be able to contemplate them, I feel a compelling need to pay tribute to them. To give them, through my art, a sense of eternity.

This work is an ode to life. The mountains follow one another, and our gaze flies from the Zinalrothorn to the Matterhorn, toObergabelhorn and the The Dent d'Hérens. The echo of summits echoes all the way to Italy, where the Grivola proclaims its grandeur. Repetition of form and alternating light and shadow. Our hearts beat to the rhythm of a world inaccessible to man. The light and silver tones of the photograph reveal a multitude of details. As you come into contact with this portrait every day, your mind wanders to the heart of the reliefs that shape the mountains. Fascinated by the poetry of nature and the grandeur of the Alps.