Oil on Linen, 130x160cm, 2023

This painting depicts the moment of dawn breaking over the amazon from near the summit of Huayna Potosí which is a peak of 6,088 m in the Bolivian andes mountains. The peaks of Illimani (6,438 m) can be seen to the south west. Alexander witnessed this moment whilst on a climbing expedition in the andes in the spring of 2018. Three climbers can be seen descending the snow fields below which is are illuminated in the violet alpen glows. Pathways of foot prints criss cross and traverse the hazards of crevasses shadowed in violet-teal tones. Rays of light radiate outward from the sun as it births the sea of amazonian clouds in a moment of noetic wisdom from the spirt of Helios to join with the inward spirit of the earth in a sacred union. In this way the painting is an alchemical expression of hermetic wisdom and echos the beliefs of the Inca who worshipped the mountains as Apus or lords of the mountains and protective spirits.