The time spent on the chairlift while being transported to the top is an integral part the mountain experience. It’s an opportunity to catch up with friends, discuss the day, plan the next run and even develops a sense of the resort community .
For photographer Ronan Redel, his exhibition An Ode to the Chairlift which is currently being shown at the Kamloops Art Council’s main gallery in Kamloops B.C., aims to capture that community spirit found on the chairlift. Redel was inspired for the collection while skiing at Sun Peaks after running into some old friends on the mountain.
“It got me thinking about the social connections when you’re out skiing and specifically on the chairlift,” he said. “When you all meet at the chairlift and you ride up and you talk about the day and talk about different runs you’re doing. And just how there’s that sense of community and bonding when you’re riding the chairlift.”
Redal has been collecting images over the past year from different vantage points from chairlifts and runs at Sun Peaks and editing the photos in black and white to bring a timeless aspect to them.
“I’m leaving it a bit ambiguous to what chair they are. I want people to think about that, and stir up their own memories from the times when they were out skiing,” said Redel.
The collection of photos is outside of his usual genre of sports photography and is the first of this style of his work to be shown in a gallery. He applied to the Kamloops Art Council for the opportunity to show the photos and he hopes to have the community come out and view the images.
The collection of 14 pieces will be shown from Jan. 10 to 27 at the Kamloops Art Council Gallery.
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