mural

The art piece

It’s been a long winter, the snow has melted and the cold white landscape is giving way to green as the air warms up. The first flowers are showing their colorful petals, wildlife is waking up and outdoor life is returning to the village of Arbaz. As spring draws to a close, the queens of the mountains return to their alpine pastures in a joyous procession. This work depicts the village of Arbaz and the traditional ascent of the cows to the mountain pastures. Fribourg-born artist Gaspard Louane revisits the imagery of the poya through his urban, playful and accessible universe. He subtly creates a bridge between generations, painting a fresco that brings all ages together; the visual language appeals at first glance to the youngest, and the subject matter will warm the hearts of the oldest.

Beneath the apparent simplicity of the climb to the mountain pasture, Louane reveals a second, hidden itinerary: that of water, which becomes the real subject and thread of the fresco. From the mountain tops to the river below, water runs through the entire Arbaz landscape. The dominant, repeated tones of blue and green mark the abundance and omnipresence of this resource. In this way, the artist highlights the village’s little-known role as a natural water tower, supplying the surrounding land and communes.

The work, installed at the heart of village life, links nature and community. It embodies the identity of Arbaz, a village considered a haven of peace, protected from natural hazards and nourished by its generous high-altitude springs. By uniting tradition and environment, this project celebrates the tranquillity and balance of a place where water is the source of life and prosperity.