Alpine hiatus, the snow no longer tastes like snow

The project addresses the transformation of the Alps due to the invasive presence of infrastructures for winter sports. This aberration of the landscape becomes increasingly evident and dramatic with rising temperatures.

We find ourselves between 2,000 m and 3,883 m above sea level: the high-altitude Alpine landscape, once an unspoiled realm of imposing rocks and eternal glaciers, is now scarred by the invasive presence of ski infrastructure. These facilities, used only in winter for 4 to 5 months a year, disfigure an environment that is increasingly weakened by climate change.

The chronic lack of precipitation in recent decades has further exacerbated the situation, making the creation of artificial reservoirs essential to ensure a lasting snow cover. A dense network of snow cannons and the intricate underground web of pipes required for their operation have been added to the already numerous ski lift pillars, the massive hangars for snow grooming machines, and the arrival stations of cable cars.

Policy continues to subsidize an unsustainable economic model. In 2024, there were 176 abandoned ski facilities in the Italian Alps alone, creating a true archaeology of structures. The consequences of this evolution are evident in all resorts, but it is during the summer that the assault on the mountains becomes most stark and absurd. These majestic stone giants, once draped in pristine white blankets, now appear before us as sun-scorched, parchment-like relics.

This scenario is the result of a profound and controversial transformation that calls for a paradigm shift. This series of photographs, taken with a medium-format camera and tripod portrays a desolate environment where traces of human activity appear entirely unnecessary and out of place. The series aims to provoke critical reflection on the impact of human intervention on nature.