When most people think of Switzerland, they envision stunning landscapes and beautiful ski resorts. But the Swiss-born photographer Yann Gross captured another view of Switzerland, set in a part of the Rhone Valley most travelers bypass.
For about 50 years, inhabitants of the area have been fascinated by American culture – so much so that American trademarks are heavily woven into their lives. Mr. Gross’s intention was to recreate the dream world in which they were living. With imagery from old westerns in mind, he created a set of photographs that captured how the quirky region has embraced American subculture, past and present.
Inspired by Alvin Straight, the John Deere-riding character in the David Lynch film “The Straight Story,” Mr. Gross set out on his moped to create “Horizonville,” which he named for a gas station he encountered on his journey.
During his three-month road trip, Mr. Gross explored the differences between the landscape and people of the valley and the rest of Switzerland.?“The countryside in our culture is our ‘cowboy’ culture,” he said.
But Mr. Gross also wanted to show how the Swiss and American cultures interact through symbolism. The mix of icons is woven in the area’s landscape. Mr. Gross encountered totem poles – sacred sculptures in American Indian culture – turned into light poles.
Yann Gross/INSTITUTE Old Charly.Most of the people Mr. Gross has photographed have never visited the United States. One of his subjects had a Confederate flag. When Mr. Gross asked him if he knew what it meant in America, the subject told him it was a symbol of American wildlife. It was not political, but a symbol of freedom.
Mr. Gross adopted some “Americanness” himself, using stickers and other paraphernalia?to transform his slow-moving moped into a “Harley-Davidson.” He packed a milk trailer with a tent, necessities and his camera gear and attached it to the back of the pseudo-Harley.
“I really looked like a loser, but I think it helped make it easier to meet people,” he said.
Before he knew it, he had been introduced to a number of other bikers. He found working-class Swiss who dared to be different from what most outsiders would expect, embracing American society, and in turn creating a subculture.
Mr. Gross had just completed a four-year program at the University of Art and Design Lausanne/ECAL in Switzerland when he decided to spend time traveling. As with most recent graduates, his problem was a lack of money. But he supposed that if Alvin Straight could travel the United States on a tractor to reconcile with a sick brother, he could travel on a Peugeot, covering just 15 or so miles in two hours.
When the book was published, Mr. Gross said, people didn’t seem to understand it. He began receiving e-mails from readers who wanted to find Horizonville.
“People were quite surprised when I told them it didn’t exist,” he said.
“Horizonville,” which includes text by Jo?l Vacheron, was published by JRP in 2011.
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