Bernadette McDonald - Art of Freedom: The Life and Climbs of Voytek Kurtyka

Bernadette McDonald dances up the wall adroitly and with admirable precision. As a biographer, she is Voyteks match in finding the unlikely fingerholds, the beauty and the prettiest line.

Marni Jackson, author of Dont I Know You?

With this graceful biography, Bernadette McDonald now introduces Voytek to a wide audience. Art of Freedom is an important addition to mountaineering history and literature, and is sure to become a classic.

Maria Coffey, author of Explorers of the Infinite

No other author living today writes about mountaineering with the insight, care and consideration of Bernadette McDonald.

Chris Noble, author of Why We Climb

This biography of the enigmatic Voytek Kurtyka is intimate and poised, revealing much that we did not know about Kurtyka, but never dispelling the mystery that surrounds him.

John Porter, author of One Day as a Tiger

The story of Kurtykas departure from the conventions of high-altitude mountaineering, and the legacy left by his impeccable lines, will hold a special place in the history of alpinism.

Marc-Andre Leclerc, alpinist

Voytek Kurtyka is an artist and his art is alpinism.

Barry Blanchard, author of The Calling

McDonald pulls no punches in sharing her insights into Kurtykas complicated relationships with partners, the law, climbing goals, risk and lifestyle, resulting in a picture of a truly remarkable man.

David Chaundy-Smart, founding editor of Gripped and author of A Youth Wasted Climbing

Bernadette McDonald has outdone even herself with this stunning portrayal of the reclusive visionary who turned mountain climbing into an art form. A mighty impressive work. Bravo!

Ken McGoogan, author of Dead Reckoning: The Untold Story of the Northwest Passage

Art of Freedom

The Life and Climbs of Voytek Kurtyka

BERNADETTE MCDONALD

Copyright 2017 by Bernadette McDonald

First Edition

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Cataloguing data available from Library and Archives Canada

ISBN 9781771602129 (hardcover)

ISBN 9781771602136 (electronic)

Book design by Chyla Cardinal

Cover photo by Tadeusz Piotrowski

Distributed in Canada by Heritage Group Distribution and in the U.S. by Publishers Group West

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We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Canada Book Fund and the Canada Council for the Arts, and of the province of British Columbia through the British Columbia Arts Council and the Book Publishing Tax Credit.

Contents

Introduction

Mountains are not stadiums where I satisfy my ambition to achieve, they are the cathedrals where I practice my religion.

Anatoli Boukreev, The Climb

One is fruitful only at the cost of being rich in contradictions.

Friedrich Nietzsche, Twilight of the Idols

Voytek Kurtyka rose early. After brewing a coffee, he wandered over to the window to watch the dawn sky come alive. When the pastel hues faded to the colour of pearls, he moved to his desk. As usual, there were emails from suppliers and some problems with Polish customs that he would have to deal with later in the day. There were a couple of inquiries from climbers about route information and an unexpected message from someone named Christian Trommsdorff. We would like to invite you as a jury member for the Piolets dOr [Golden Ice Axes] event in Chamonix, April 22 to 25, 2009.

Known as the Oscars of the mountaineering world, the annual Piolets dOr recognize the boldest, most innovative alpine climbs, as well as lifetime achievement in climbing. Christian Trommsdorff, a Chamonix mountain guide and chairman of the awards committee, wanted Voytek one of the most respected alpinists of all time to help choose the best climbs. He couldnt have anticipated Voyteks response.

Hearty thanks for your invitation au jury du Piolets dOr. Im sorry I cant take part in itI understand the world is suspended on a monstrous structure of wild competition and, consequently, of awards and distinction. But this structure is an enemy of true art. Where awards and distinction rule, true art ends. I sincerely believe that climbing can elevate the climber to physical and mental well-being and to wisdom, but awards and distinction elevate the climber to vanity and egocentricity. Taking part in the gameis dangerous for the climber. Im not ready to take part in this game and I cant accept your offer.

Apart from his philosophical discomfort with the game, Voytek was baffled by the prospect of ranking climbs in a monstrous, wild competition. How could anyone compare the traverse of Makalu by French alpinist Pierre Bghin with the forty-day solo ascent of Trango Tower by Japanese climber Takeyasu Minamiura? Or Krzysztof Wielickis winter ascent of Everest with Erhard Loretans night naked climb of the same mountain? It seemed absurd to rank the pioneering spirit of Reinhold Messner against the superhuman stamina of Jerzy Kukuczka. According to Voytek, This exercise made as much sense as asking which was better, sex or Christmas.

Voytek maintained that alpinism was far too complex to rank and compare. There were so many facets: aesthetic, physical, metaphysical, logistical, imaginative. And there was so much suffering. How could you measure the suffering of climbers? The pressure of the media to create (for their own use) a number one star is an attempt to reduce alpinists to one dimension, he said in his response. And it means the degradation of climbing.

Christian laughs when he recalls the strongly worded email, but he wasnt discouraged by it. The following year he wrote an even bolder letter, this time asking Voytek to accept the Piolets dOr Lifetime Achievement Award. Once again, Voytek responded.

Hello Christian,
This is a devilish offer. I always had a sense of escaping to the mountains from everyday social bullshit, and now you propose to me to take part in it. I was always escaping to the mountains to find encouraging proof that Im free from the social bonds of award and distinction, and now you offer it to me. I always ran to the mountains with the great expectation that I could elevate myself above my human weaknesses, and now you try to put on me the most dangerous one: the illusion that I am a person of distinction. My entire life is a struggle with that illusion. Im very conscious that the desire for awards and distinction is the greatest trap of our ego and a proof of vanity. Im sorry I cant take part in it. I cant accept the Piolets dOr. To be frank, in my heart Im very worried because in rejecting your award I might be driven byyou know what? Unfortunately, also by vanity. Dont even try to honour me. Climbers possess an exceptional awareness of freedom, and I hope you will understand my uneasiness in the face of such a great honour.