Peter Doig – Couloir 1

A collection that marks the artist’s first return to snowscapes since the 1990s, ‘Zermatt’ is also Doig’s first thematic group of works. The series was conceived in 2018, when Swiss architect and artist Heinz Julen offered Doig his chalet in the idyllic resort town as an artistic prompt to paint his surroundings.  

Compositionally and conceptually, Doig was inspired by ski posters designed to attract people to the mountains. Characterised by a delicate balance of dynamic skiers and majestic, snow-covered landscapes, simple yet enticing, the images prompted Doig to produce his own series of painted posters. As such, ‘Zermatt’ joins Doig’s history of making posters, including those made for his Studio Film Club in Trinidad. 

Relying largely on memory to construct images based on his experiences in Zermatt, Doig drew upon a range of inspirations – from the town’s strong religious tradition and the danger of its landscape, to memories of skiing and commuting to the slopes. His view of the resort town was undeniably influenced by Derek Walcott’s descriptions of Zermatt in his generative series of poems, ‘The Prodigal’ (2006). 

Medium: Giclée Print on Cotton Smooth Rag
Date: 2022
Editions: 250
Dimensions: 114 x 80cm
Sign: Numbered and hand signed