Un ami simple

de Valentin Carron

This publication appears in conjunction with an exhibition of work by Swiss painter Valentin Carron at Mauvoisin Dam in Valais, Switzerland. For the eponymous exhibition, Carron focuses on the image of the mule. The animal is an emblematic figure of effort, endurance, and composure in many places around the world, but has a special significance for Valais, which had a herd of over 2,000 mules as recently as the 1940s. While mules play a largely traditional role today, they were once relied upon to transport cargo from valley to valley in this rugged Alpine region. Carron pays tribute to this legacy by depicting the animal as a simple silhouette with bold colours.