Atop Saint-Gothard Pass, exhibition captures mountain echoes between science and poetry

At the summit of the Saint-Gothard Pass, an exhibition titled "Echo" offers a unique invitation to experience the mountains not just with the eyes, but also with the ears. Presented at the Swiss Alpine Museum's (ALPS) outpost, the exhibition delves into the natural phenomenon of echoes, exploring its scientific and poetic dimensions. Originally conceived at the ALPS museum in Bern in 2016, the "sound" exhibition is now on display until the end of September and will continue into the next season at the Saint-Gothard National Museum. Ludovica Darani, director of the Saint-Gothard National Museum, explained the exhibition's core idea: "The iconic landscape of the Alps is familiar to us, but its sounds are less so." The concept of an echo, which involves the repetition of a sound after its waves bounce off an obstacle and return to the source with a delay, is rich with metaphorical meanings. It evokes themes of return, distance, repetition, transformation, and absence. Throughout the exhibition, these concepts are explored through various sound documents, offering a multi-sensory engagement with the alpine environment. Visitors are encouraged to perceive the mountains through auditory experiences, highlighting a dimension often overlooked amidst the grandeur of the visual landscape.