Fine art print, triptych 120 x 390 cm Courtesy of Beck & Eggeling

Glaciers and sea ice act as a protective shelter for the planet, reflecting excess heat back into space and keeping the temperature cooler. The Rhone glacier is one of the most famous Alpine glaciers and an attraction for travellers since the 19th century. As a result of global warming, the glacier retreated drastically between 2011 and 2016. In 2018, the Carlen family, who manage the ice grotto, decided to cover part of the glacier with a white wool blanket that reflects sunlight and slows down the melting process. Thomas Wrede has been studying and photographing the ice grotto since 2017, capturing with his images the death of a glacier and the futility of humans trying to stop climate change.