Simon Beck, the artist who draws in the snow to warn about the fragility of the mountains

Simon Beck took up his winter quarters at an altitude of 2,000 meters, in the resort of Les Arcs, in Savoy. Trained engineer and cartographer draw on the mountains of works monumental but ephemeral, composed of lines and geometric patterns. It all starts with a survey. “Here it is beautiful, and it is quite flat. There is no water below: there is no danger in walking on this place“, explains Simon Beck.

Simon Beck finds his way around with his compass. The instrument allows him to trace the outlines of his works in the snow. But you have to be patient: the artist spends five uninterrupted hours marking the snow with his footprints. For fifteen years, the Briton has traveled the summits of the whole world. He produced more than 370 ephemeral works. Simon Beck also wishes to warn about the fragility of the mountains, threatened by global warming.