Contemplate
Published on
ConnectTo photograph or paint the mountains is to attempt to capture the uncapturable. It was initially a way to tame these sublime giants, and today it is a way to preserve their memory. A pause for reflection.
Mario Colonel: Beyond the Horizon
Mario Colonel is one of the leading photographers and reporters in mountain press. A nomad of the peaks, hiker, mountaineer, and skier, he is the author of some twenty books in which he shares his perspectives. Since 2007, his gallery has been his home base, featuring large-format images that are resolutely focused on the unknown, much like his own work. His original colour and black and white prints are displayed alongside those of renowned wildlife photographers and sculptures inspired by the Alps. “What matters to me is reaching for the horizon.” Thanks to his work, we always look far beyond what is right in front of us.
Mario Colonel Gallery - 19, rue Whymper - Chamonix-Mont-Blanc
The Tairraz Family: A Lineage Behind the Lens
The Tairraz family represents four generations who have literally built the visual memory of the mountain range. Joseph laid the foundations by creating the “Tairraz Alpine Photography” studio in 1857. Georges Sr. perfected the technique, and Georges Jr. took the lenses to high altitudes. Then came Pierre Tairraz, a discreet heir and an obsessive perfectionist with a minimalist and geometric style, like that of his father. with figures meticulously placed like extras in a scene where the mountain always plays the leading role. . Hours of waiting for perfect light, for the sun to graze the ridge, for a silhouette positioned with millimetre precision. For the Tairraz family, photography is an art. So is patience.
Maison Tairraz - 162, avenue Michel Croz - Chamonix-Mont-Blanc
Wibault: Three Generations at the Summit
In the Valley, Marcel Wibault is a legend. His body of work comprises nearly 4,000 pieces, often painted up high, up close and in a single stroke, in the cold and with urgency. His son, Lionel Wibault, followed in his footsteps, an ice axe from the Chamonix Guides Company in one hand, an artist’s brush in the other. And the story continues with Emma Wibault, Lionel’s daughter. An interior designer, she transformed part of her grandfather’s historic chalet-workshop into a secluded guest house. At L’Alpenrose, guests sleep surrounded by woodwork carved by Marcel, his easel, his collection of toy soldiers (his first passion), and his backpack full of gear, always ready to set off for the mountains. A rare and immersive address, and a fiercely inspiring experience.
L’Alpenrose - Chemin du Cé - Chamonix-Mont-Blanc
