Grimsel, Hospiz m. Finsteraarhorn c. 1910

Curator: Looking at A. G. Wehrli's photograph, titled "Grimsel, Hospiz m. Finsteraarhorn," I'm immediately struck by the stark contrasts. Editor: Indeed, the interplay of light and shadow creates a rather dramatic composition. The texture of the rocks is so tangible! Curator: This image depicts the Grimsel Pass, a strategically important route through the Swiss Alps, with a hospice. Editor: So, the image speaks to a taming, in a way, of the sublime wilderness, where humans have made their mark. Curator: Precisely. The placement of the hospice, nestled within such a formidable landscape, speaks to the intersection of nature and civilization. What do you think the function of art is in documenting the sublime? Editor: I see art's function to be a representation of power: power over nature and the documentation of the same. Curator: It’s a fascinating insight. Wehrli’s work captures a moment in time, an evolving relationship. Editor: And in black and white, it highlights the stark realities of that relationship.