Image above: “Vitality’s Repose” from the series “Eaux du Jura”, 2023, Jan Eckert.
While we often equate vitality with constant motion, nature reveals a profound truth: true strength is found in stillness. In the ancient limestone embrace of the Twannbach Gorge, a chamois pauses – a living sculpture set against rock strata that have witnessed millennia of change.
Nestled between Switzerland and France in the Jura Mountains, the Twannbach Gorge is a geological marvel. These limestone walls were once the seabed of the prehistoric Tethys Sea, meticulously carved over millions of years into a landscape of breathtaking vertical narratives. Each layer tells a story of patient, imperceptible change.
In the blistering summers, these gorges become sanctuaries – cool refuges where life seeks respite from the valley’s unrelenting heat. It is in this context that «Vitality’s Repose» was created in 2023, capturing a chamois in a moment of rare stillness. Usually seen in fleeting motion, the animal becomes a testament to the quiet intensity of wild existence.
As part of the Eaux du Jura series, this photograph was submitted to the 2024 Vitality Through Your Eyes Awards, where it won the Sawako Fukai Jury Award, presented by the Tokyo-based creative producer of Tokyo Photographic Research. During the month of October 2024, the photopraph was on display at Shibaura House Cultural Centre in Tokyo, Japan. More about the of the award and exhibition can be found on the Swiss Vitality website.
all images © by Forward Stroke Inc.
Vitality’s Repose II
In the autumn of 2024, my lens shifted to explore «Vitality’s Repose II» – where nature itself becomes the protagonist, preparing for the contemplative retreat of hibernation. The landscape is transformed from a stage of movement to a canvas of anticipated rest.
“Vitality’s Repose II” from the series “Eaux du Jura“, 2024, Jan Eckert.