Eiger I, Mittellegigrat, Berner Alpen, Schweiz / Christian Gisi

About Mammut Collection

A profound feeling of freedom and adventure arises on the top of a mountain. Up there, above the clouds and the nearby valleys, every wanderer feels extraordinary emotions. When the eyes meet the view of the landscape and its boundless… Read more

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BACKGROUND INFORMATION

A profound feeling of freedom and adventure arises on the top of a mountain. Up there, above the clouds and the nearby valleys, every wanderer feels extraordinary emotions. When the eyes meet the view of the landscape and its boundless horizon, the memory never forgets her. In Moved by Mountains, a collaboration between LUMAS and Mammut, this unforgettable moment is captured within a series of introspective and magnificent works of art.

Many beloved themes of contemporary art are associated with ascending mountaintops: the photographic inscenation of an outstanding moment that binds nature’s grace, the freedom of the open air, and a gripping sense of adventure. Nature photography positions man directly between the Earth and the sky, detached from his everyday urban and industrial life. These artworks often document the strength & effort behind the fulfillment of a magnificent goal. The is a long history and tradition behind mountain photography. As early as 1920 Arnold Fanck filmed Im Kampf mit dem Berge (In the Battle with the Mountains). This revolutionary film was dedicated to the conquest of the Lyskamm in the Matterhorn region. The story revealed the challenges and dangers that even the best of climbers encounter along the journey to the top of a mountain. Later in 1953, Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay ascended Mount Everest. Naturally, Hillary captured a photo of Norgay at the peak of mountaintop. The world had to see the first successful ascension atop its highest mountain.

The Moved by Mountains series revisits the enthusiasm for mountain art. The spectacular scenes were created during expeditions to the Swiss Alps, the Great Scheidegg, and the Bernese Oberland, and even Lake Baikal and its island of Olkhorn. The voyage was meticulously planned to ensure safety to all the climbers, but even careful preparations cannot anticipate the weather at such heights. While crossing over the middle ridge of the Eiger there suddenly appeared a large wall of clouds against the mountains, making the peak impossible to reach. Despite this obstacle, the mission was a wonderful success. The images captured the majesty of the mountains and the result is simply breathtaking.

Mountain romanticism is beautifully expressed in many art forms, especially in depictions of the Wetterhorn. This mountain is not far from Rosenlaui, known as the “smallest village in Switzerland,” which developed into a central point for Alpine tourism in Switzerland as early as the 18th century. During that period several painters, such as Caspar Wolf and Alexandre Calame, journeyed to the valley to immortalize the Wetterhorn with paint and brush.

Mammut has been providing professional clothing and equipment for mountain sports and leisure since 1862. They represent a lifestyle strongly bonded with nature. Through the collaboration with LUMAS, this attitude towards life became manifested within spectacular art.