Elise Rasmussen, Did you know blue had no name? (film still), 2018
Elise Rasmussen: An Alpine Trilogy
The Whyte Museum
ARTISTS | ELISE RASMUSSEN
DATES | NOV 1-APR 12, 2026
HOURS | DAILY, 10 AM-5 PM ♿︎
Elise Rasmussen: An Alpine Trilogy brings together three interconnected bodies of work that resonate deeply in Banff , where mountain culture converges with narratives of conquest, grandeur, and nostalgia. Through rigorous research and lens-based media, Rasmussen recasts traditional narratives of history and nature through an exploration of the French and Swiss Alps.In "Did You Know Blue Had No Name?," she interrogates the symbolism of “blueness,” revisiting Saussure’s cyanometer, the first ascent of Mont Blanc, and early photographic struggles with blue skies.
"The Year Without a Summer" links an 1816 climate anomaly to today’s environmental crises, weaving historical texts, folklore, and travel reflections into a meditation on cultural responses to ecological disruption. In "Nostalgia: A Return to the Alps in Five Vignettes," Rasmussen examines the Alps as symbols of healing and escape, from Romantic ideals to modern wellness tourism, questioning our complex longing for harmony with nature.Together, these works reflect on visibility, memory, and the evolving relationship between humans and mountain environments.This exhibition is organized by The Whyte and curated by Christina Cuthbertson.
The Whyte Museum
111 Bear St., Banff
LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
In the spirit of reconciliation, we acknowledge that the Exposure Photography Festival is situated on land adjacent to where the Bow River meets the Elbow River. The traditional Blackfoot name of this place is “Moh’kins’tsis”, which we now call the City of Calgary. This is the traditional Treaty 7 territory of the Blackfoot confederacy: Siksika, Kainai, Piikani as well as the Îyâxe Nakoda and Tsuut’ina nations. It is home to the Métis Nation of Alberta, Region 3 within the historical Northwest Métis homeland. We honour and acknowledge all Nations, who live, work and play in Moh’kins’tsis, help steward this land, and honour and celebrate this territory.