Simon Beck: Snow Art. Les Arcs, France

Simon Beck creates intricate patterns walking in the snow with snowshoes. The artist and orienteering map designer makes abstract images based on mathematical figures or crop circles. He first plans his designs on graph paper and then walks up to 40-kilometres per day to complete the works in Les Arcs in the French Alps during the winter months. On site he determines the location of the major points of the design and walks to and fro between the centre and external points, finally filling in the connecting details of the lines and contours. The optimum depth of the snow is 20-centimetres and frozen lakes offer the perfect base for walking. The works vary in size from 7,000 to 70,000-sq.metres. The designs usually take a single day as changeable weather and new snowfall can affect the pattern. As the works are ephemeral the artist aims to be on the mountain summit or ski lift by sunset to photograph and record the snow walks.

Images: courtesy of Simon Beck

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