The Not-So-Lonely Mountain - Photographer Christopher Gawronski
"The Not-So-Lonely Mountain"
Location: Gornergrat (Zermatt), Switzerland
Date: August 2019
Photographer: Christopher Gawronski
University Affiliation: Alumni
Home Country: United States
Category: Places
Award: Honorable Mention
In the artist’s own words: "The Matterhorn is a prominent mountain at the head of a valley in the Swiss Alps. Its unusual separation from its neighbors allows it to be noticed and distinguished, a jagged tooth cutting the heavens. When I saw it for the first time, I was truly awed by the sight. But, as I spent time enjoying the vista all around the Matterhorn, it seemed to me the mountain was a lonely sentinel, stoically watching over the valley as travelers enjoyed one of Switzerland's most famous locales. While walking around, I noticed a small group of hikers relaxing on a promontory facing the Matterhorn. I captured this image, imagining an old sepia postcard showing travelers in an exotic, foreign place. For me, this image reflects a moment when I felt the mountain must be grateful that someone had stopped by and paused to appreciate it, if only for a while, as it continued its eternal vigil."