douglas gordon + morgane tschiember set ring of fire ablaze

the alpine landscape of gstaad, switzerland has been activated by a unique series of site-specific sculptures and installations integrated in and above the mountainous region. the exhibition ‘elevation 1049: avalanche’, curated by neville wakefield and olympia scarry, builds on the power and dynamics of avalanches as a departure point for the 11 artworks on view.

one of the presented installations is a monumental land artwork by douglas gordon and morgane tschiember. ‘as close as you can for as long as it lasts’ uses fire, smoke and sound — a call and response between two artists — as a reference to the well-known history of yodeling in this particular area.

all photos by stefan altenburger / courtesy of the artist and LUMA foundation

the large scale, site-specific sculpture has been created in response to the landscape of gstaad. upon visiting the beautiful but terrifying mountain site, douglas gordon and morgane tschiember found beauty, fear, loneliness and a particular sense of melancholy. with these emotions in mind, the artists explored the idea of a lonely traveler who might seek companionship with another person in such a place, questioning whether this relationship is based on desire, fear or excitement of the unknown.

‘as close as you can for as long as it lasts’ comprises fire, smoke and a sound installation

drawing from the works of american novelist jack london, tschiember decided to build an enormous fire — one of the most important aspects of survival. taking the shape of a circle, the fire’s thick smoke billows into the mountainside. in response to this, gordon has installed a sound piece based on our primal fears of unknown animals lurking in the dark woods, driving visitors towards the ‘safety’ of the fire.

‘elevation 1049: avalanche’ is produced and supported by the LUMA foundation and remains on view through march 19th, 2017.

the large sculpture has been created as a response to its setting