Hydroelectric Sublime

The Emosson region in the Swiss canton of the Valais boasts a breathtaking Alpine landscape punctuated by a series of monumental feats in hydroelectric engineering, which include three dams and a power 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 uncovering 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.