I am often asked the question.

Why the mountains?

Why only that?

Why not vary, explore other landscapes, other subjects?

 

The answer is simple.

I don't draw mountains by chance.

 

It's not a strategic choice

It's not a niche.

It's not a marketing position thought out in advance.

It came long before all that.

 

Before the idea of selling.

Before the idea of exhibiting.

 

Even before the idea of showing.

The mountain imposed itself.

 

A presence that leaves no one indifferent

Some things mark us without us knowing why.

The mountain is one of them.

It doesn't try to seduce.

It makes no effort.

 

It is there.

Massive.

Silent.

 

And yet, it attracts.

Not in the same way for everyone.

But enough to create a kind of obviousness.

 

A personal relationship

Before drawing it, one had to experience it.

Walk.

Observe.

Stop.

 

Understand that the mountain does not give itself away immediately.

It demands time.

It demands attention.

And above all, it imposes a different rhythm.

Slower.

More accurate.

 

Drawing the mountain is not reproducing it

What I'm looking for is not a faithful image.

It's not a precise survey.

It's something else.

Something more difficult to define.

A sensation.

 

When I draw, I don't ask myself: "Does it look like it?"

I ask myself:

"Does it hold up?"

"Is the structure there?"

"Is the tension right?"

"Is the silence present?"

 

Of course, resemblance matters, but feeling matters even more.

 

Why black and white became essential

Very quickly, color became useless.

Not because it's not beautiful.

But because it distracts.

The mountain doesn't need to be embellished.

It needs to be understood.

Black and white allows that.

It removes everything that is not essential.

 

It keeps:

• Lines
• Contrasts
• Texture

Exactly what makes the mountain.

 

India ink: a necessary constraint

I could use other mediums.

But India ink has something special.

It doesn't allow for cheating.

 

No going back.

No easy correction.

 

Every line is final.

And this constraint is important.

Because it forces one to:

• Observe before acting
• Understand before drawing

And ultimately, to be more accurate.

 

Why not change subjects?

Because it would be lying.

Not intentionally.

But in essence.

Drawing something else to "vary" would be looking elsewhere for what is already there.

The mountain is rich enough.

Complex enough.

Demanding enough.

To never be exhausted.

 

An infinite exploration

No two mountains are truly alike.

Same summit.

Same viewpoint.

 

And yet, never the same drawing.

Because:

• The light changes
• The gaze evolves
• Perception transforms

Drawing the mountain means never doing the same thing twice.

 

A form of coherence

Over time, one thing becomes clear.

It's not a limitation.

It's coherence.

Drawing only the mountain allows for digging deeper, refining, deepening.

Instead of dispersing oneself.

 

And in an interior?

This coherence is also felt elsewhere.

In a space.

A mountain artwork doesn't fill a wall.

It creates a presence.

Something stable.

Calm.

 

In an often busy daily life,

It acts as an anchor point.

 

What I'm really looking for

Ultimately, it's not about the mountain.

Or not only.

It's about:

• Silence
• Balance
• Tension
• Breathing

The mountain is simply the best way I've found to translate them.

 

Extend this approach

If this way of seeing the mountain resonates with you,

If you feel this simplicity,

This presence...

Then some artworks are made for that.

• To capture this sensation
• And make it accessible, daily

 

Black and white art prints or Aluminum Dibond

Inspired by summits

Limited editions