Peter Zoig Zermatt Paintings

Peter Doig, a renowned contemporary painter, is celebrated for his ability to craft haunting, dreamlike scenes that evoke both personal memory and universal emotion. His Zermatt Series, which revolves around the landscapes and atmosphere of the Swiss alpine town of Zermatt, is an evocative exploration of snow-covered mountains, isolation, and the natural world’s interaction with human presence. This series is emblematic of Doig’s style, blending reality and abstraction, while drawing on his interest in cinematic techniques, photography, and the blurred line between imagination and recollection.

 

Doig's move to Zermatt in the mid-2000s, where he lived for several years, allowed him to experience the majestic Alps up close. The town is renowned for its iconic Matterhorn peak, a symbol of awe-inspiring natural beauty and a frequent subject for painters and photographers. The isolated, winter-bound landscapes of Zermatt likely stirred Doig's memories of other snowy environments he had encountered in his life, including his time spent in Canada and Switzerland. The painter’s connection with nature has long been a focal point in his work, and the Zermatt Series became a natural continuation of his exploration of landscape.

 

Doig has always maintained a sense of mysticism in his landscapes, using natural environments as more than mere backdrops; they become central characters in his narrative. In Zermatt, the mountains serve as a mysterious force, dominating the compositions and often dwarfing human presence. The series also plays on the tension between tourism and nature, as Zermatt is both a picturesque town for visitors and a site of untamed alpine wilderness.

 

One of the most striking aspects of the Zermatt Series is the juxtaposition of human figures and vast, overpowering landscapes. In these works, individuals often appear insignificant against the towering mountains, creating a tension between humanity's smallness and the grandeur of nature. The ethereal quality of the series reflects Doig’s interest in memory, solitude, and our often fragile relationship with the natural world.

 

Doig's use of snow is another critical theme within this series. Snow, for Doig, functions not merely as a natural element but as a symbol of purity, isolation, and mystery. The endless white expanses evoke a sense of timelessness and disorientation, where figures seem suspended between reality and fantasy. In some works, the snow-covered ground appears almost abstract, with large swaths of blankness allowing the viewer’s mind to wander.

 

The alpine environment, particularly Zermatt’s famous mountains, also brings a cinematic quality to the series. Doig has frequently cited his interest in film, and in the Zermatt Series, the sweeping panoramas, dramatic lighting, and isolated figures recall classic cinematic moments of solitude in nature. The mountains become backdrops for introspection, but also places where the viewer must confront the overwhelming power of nature.

 

Doig’s use of color in the Zermatt Series is a defining feature of his work. Although much of the series focuses on the white expanses of snow, Doig introduces vibrant, unexpected colors to create an otherworldly feel. Purples, blues, and greens often swirl within the snowscapes, breaking up the monotony and adding depth to the scenes. These colors evoke both the changing light of day and the sense of unreality that Doig often aims to convey.

 

Texture is also key to the series. Doig’s layering of paint creates a tactile quality, where the snow seems almost palpable, inviting the viewer to step into the scene. In some works, the texture conveys the roughness of the landscape, while in others, it creates a softness that contrasts with the harshness of the environment. His technique draws from various influences, including printmaking and traditional painting methods, giving the works a multi-dimensional quality.

 

Doig’s Zermatt Series draws heavily from photographic sources, as does his broader body of work. While he doesn’t rely strictly on direct representation, Doig frequently uses found images, personal snapshots, and film stills as the starting point for his paintings. This collage-like approach allows him to bring together different perspectives, merging the real and the imagined into one harmonious whole.

 

The figures in Doig's Zermatt Series are often solitary, placed in expansive, empty spaces that amplify their isolation. Whether they are skiing, standing, or walking through snow, the individuals appear engulfed by their surroundings. This evokes a sense of introspection and solitude, capturing a moment in which the individual confronts both the immensity of nature and their inner thoughts.

 

Doig’s treatment of these figures also lends them a certain ambiguity. Often reduced to silhouettes or blurred forms, they become less about specific people and more about representations of humanity as a whole. In this way, the Zermatt Series reflects Doig’s broader interest in universal themes of solitude, nature, and the passage of time.