Beatrice Gorelli, Keiichi Kitayama (eds.)

Hydroelectric Sublime

The Emosson region in the Swiss canton of the Valais boasts a breathtaking Alpine landscape punctuated by a series of monumental manmade structures, including the Emosson hydroelectric dam and Nant de Drance hydropower plant hidden in a cavern 600m below ground. In Hydroelectric Sublime the photographers Beatrice Gorelli and Keiichi Kitayama set out to capture the area’s awe-inspiring terrain, and found themselves on a three-year odyssey to incover the intricate bond between humans, energy and water.

Across mountains, seasons and generations, the book peels back the layers of a landscape that exemplifies the coming together of nature and the manmade so sublimely, or severely, depending on one’s point of view. Hydroelectric Sublime weaves together photographs, essays and interviews that pay tribute to a grand manifestation of modern civilization, while also delving into the history of the valley region and sharing personal testimonies of those whose lives depend on this source of power.

As photographers, Gorelli and Kitayama take us on a journey through enveloping vistas of sublime nature to the industrial interiors of the power plant via dark tunnels of the Emosson dam complex. As editors, Gorelli and Kitayama present an artful prism of visual, historical, cultural, environmental and personal perspectives on a highly charged symbol of the modern world.

The Emosson region in the Swiss canton of the Valais boasts a breathtaking Alpine landscape punctuated by a series of monumental manmade structures, including the Emosson hydroelectric dam and Nant de Drance hydropower plant hidden in a cavern 600m below ground. In Hydroelectric Sublime the photographers Beatrice Gorelli and Keiichi Kitayama set out to capture the area’s awe-inspiring terrain, and found themselves on a three-year odyssey to incover the intricate bond between humans, energy and water.

Across mountains, seasons and generations, the book peels back the layers of a landscape that exemplifies the coming together of nature and the manmade so sublimely, or severely, depending on one’s point of view. Hydroelectric Sublime weaves together photographs, essays and interviews that pay tribute to a grand manifestation of modern civilization, while also delving into the history of the valley region and sharing personal testimonies of those whose lives depend on this source of power.

As photographers, Gorelli and Kitayama take us on a journey through enveloping vistas of sublime nature to the industrial interiors of the power plant via dark tunnels of the Emosson dam complex. As editors, Gorelli and Kitayama present an artful prism of visual, historical, cultural, environmental and personal perspectives on a highly charged symbol of the modern world.

Edited by Beatrice Gorelli, Keiichi Kitayama

With photographs by Les Hadrons (Keiichi Kitayama and Beatrice Gorelli)

With contributions by Takako Itoh, Nicolas Nova

Design: Beatrice Gorelli

24 × 30 cm, 9 ½ × 11 ¾ in

176 pages, 162 illustrations

hardback

2024, 978-3-03778-738-0, English
Japanese
CHF 50.00
New

Beatrice Gorelli

Beatrice Gorelli

Beatrice Gorelli (b. 1996, Mesagne, Italy) is a photographer, graphic designer and creative director based in Locarno, Switzerland. Her photographic work integrates her passion for nature with an interest in design led by social and scientific research. Trained in visual communication and media design, Gorelli’s work has been featured in exhibitions at Kikk Festival 2022, Belgium; Museum of Modern Art, Geneva, 2022; and Numerik Games Festival in Yverdon-les-Bains, 2021. As a creative director within the advertising industry, she currently leads international campaigns for global brands.

Keiichi Kitayama

Keiichi Kitayama

Keiichi Kitayama (b. 1987, Aichi, Japan) is a photographer and film director based between Berlin, Lausanne, Locarno and Tokyo. He commenced his career as a fashion and celebrity portrait photographer in Japan before relocating to Berlin in 2017. His photographic work has been featured in fashion magazines such as GQ, Schön, and Teeth. Following time spent in Switzerland, Kitayama’s photographic practice has increasingly focused on nature, including environmental and social themes.