Terrain d’Adventure – Kevin Arrowsmith

Seemingly infinite alpine mountain landscapes. The occasional human form emphasising scale. ‘The life of the mountain continues regardless of those who seek to conquer it’.

Terrain d’Adventure is a collection of landscape photography capturing the beauty, solitude and ever changing light experienced on an alpine adventure.

The high alpine weather changes literally from minute to minute. From amongst a complete white-out can emerge, perhaps for only a few seconds, a view of a distant, towering peak. In another moment, a single shaft of light illuminates a human form on a tiny portion of the stage. Far below, crevasse – gaping chasms in the ice and snow are revealed only to vanish in cloud seconds later.

Experiencing an absence of visual context in dense cloud or a whiteout, our remaining senses are sharpened. In the distance, rock-falls echo like the rumble of distant thunder. Ice collapses ring out like the shattering of glass. The acoustics of this place are a constant reminder of the scale, the loneliness, and our vulnerability. When exposed to a high mountain environment, one thing is very clear – compared to the immense scale of the surroundings you are quite insignificant, you are nothing.

Vast open landscapes, the occasional human form emphasising scale. Semi-abstract, clean lines, an occasional splash of primary colour. These are the visual elements which influenced this body of work. However, overriding all of this is a recognition that the climbers are simply a tiny and transient feature in contrast with the might of the mountain.

“The human race is just a chemical scum on a moderate-sized planet, orbiting around a very average star in the outer suburb of one among a hundred billion galaxies. We are so insignificant that I can’t believe the whole universe exists for our benefit” – Professor Stephen Hawking

In essence, ‘The life of the mountain continues regardless of those who seek to conquer it.

‘Originally from Middlesbrough in the North East of England, I enjoyed hugely the privilege of spending fifteen years living in Durness, the most north westerly community on mainland UK where I opened the Cairn House Gallery. This is where my work has had most exposure but I have also exhibited my work across Scotland and at the Duniya gallery in Muret, France. I recently relocated to the Highland capital, Inverness. This places me more centrally to explore the huge variety of photographic opportunities which the Highland region has to offer and to exhibit my work more widely. I have a lifelong love of adventure and photography. I am a member the British Mountaineering Council and the Royal Photographic Society and was awarded their Licentiateship Distinction in May 2009. My photography has been featured in various adventure and photography publications.’ kevinarrowsmith.com