When arriving at a new ski area, or even before arriving. As part of the travel research, every skier will at least once lay their eyes on the current resort ski map. Even if you don’t think about it, every map is an artist’s work. And there are just a handful of artists around the world that have made a living out of ski maps.
If you ski in Scandinavia, the chance that you will lay your eyes on one of Henrik Reintz ski maps is close to 100 percent. Why is that, what’s the story behind this?
Curious as I am, I gave Henrik a call and asked for a lunch date. Henrik was initially skeptical about an interview, telling me over the phone that he had previously declined one from another ski magazine because time is precious. I happened to know Henrik briefly, so I was able to persuade him to meet with me.
So here it is, a unique interview with a unique ski map artist:
Henrik’s office is to be found in an artist collective, located in an old townhouse, on the top floor. But it’s not overlooking any mountain at all. Standing at the window looking out, you will sense the sea, and in the foreground, two medieval church ruins steal your focus.
In fact, where Henrik lives, there is not a single ski-lift to be found. This particular townhouse, converted to a modern office, is located in the town of Visby, on the island of Gotland, in the middle of the Baltic Sea.
With a bit of imagination, you can dream your way to the mountains by converting the two church towers into a twin peak. And Henrik Reintz is full of imagination.
Henrik, tell me how it all started?
– I grew up on the Swedish west coast, in a small town called Alingsås. As a youngster, I went skiing with my family on school holidays. After high school and two years of art studies in Gothenburg, I moved to Sälen* and Tandådalen* in the late 1980s as a ski bum.
**(Sälen is the southernmost high-alpine mountain area i Sweden, Tandådalen is one of the ski resorts in that area).
Ok, did you work there as a ski instructor or in the ski shop?
No, I was not qualified as a ski instructor and I applied for the ski shop but got refused. Instead, I was offered a job in a grocery store owned by the same family as the ski resorts itself. The Gerremo brothers*.
**(The legendary Gerremo family with the three brothers, Björn Hans and Ulf, owned Tandådalen ski resort between 1963 and 1995).
In my spare time, I draw caricatures of the staff and colleagues, also of the two brothers, Hans and Ulf. That drawing was published in the staff newspaper. Hi heard they weren’t too happy about it at first. Anyway, they discovered my artistic talent, so I started working with their kids ski corner, developing mascots and adventure trails. In 1995, the Gerremo brothers sold Tandådalen to its neighboring ski resort Hundfjället, and I was asked to draw a map for their kids area. After that, I did the maps for all kids areas in Sälen.
These maps got so popular, so later on, when Skistar was formed, I was asked to draw ski maps for every resort in the *Skistar group. That was a lot of work, take Åre as an example, its three maps in the same resort. Thirteen maps in five months, that was a bit of a hassle.
**(Skistar is a listed company owning the major ski resorts in Scandinavia).
Were these your first ski maps?
Actually not. I got my first assignment from *Säfsen where a former managing director from Skistar; Per Wester, stepped in as a major stakeholder. He was familiar with my artwork and needed a new map for his ski resort.
**(Säfsen is a Swedish lowland ski resort approx 150km south from Sälen).
Do you visit every mountain before you go to work on a new ski map?
Yes, it’s a must. An aerial photo won’t do the trick. If you don’t see and feel the mountain yourself, it’s difficult to get the proportions right. Furthermore, you need to feel the slope, and how it winds down the mountain. I need to go when the weather is good and the sky is clear. When it comes to these matters, imagination won’t do. For example, right now, I’m working on a map in Switzerland, and the weather has been so bad in the region this summer, so the work has been delayed.
Looking at Myself, I often travel in my mind, exploring ski resorts through the ski maps on my laptop. A proper map somehow defines whether a resort is worth a visit or not. What’s the key features to create a great ski map?
Well, it is supposed to sell the ski resort and make it look attractive without exaggerating. What I do is highlighting the key features and bring out the best parts of the mountain.
Sounds like you using a magnifier and at the same time drawing a caricature?
Well (Henrik laughs) it’s a fine line, but you are spot on in your analysis. Back in art school, one of my strengths was just caricatures.
How many ski maps are from your origin so far?
I knew I would get this question, so I actually counted, it’s 47 until now, and four more in the Que.
Among all ski maps, which one stands out as your masterpiece in your opinion?
Narvik, (says Henrik without hesitating) that’s the map that has got the most attention in the media. Yea, I’m proud of that one, it’s special.
All mountains are more or less static. Once you have drawn the map, it’s all done, I guess. Eventually, you will run out of customers in Scandinavia, or what’s your thought?
Well, that’s not entirely true. Almost every ski resort is also doing a summer, so they need at least two maps. Then again, even if the mountain stays the same, there are new lifts, slopes and buildings popping up, so the maps need continuously to be updated.
Ok, so you do trail maps and other resort maps as well. Are you aiming to conquer the rest of the ski world as well?
Yes, that’s a growing business. I had quite many requests from the alps for ski maps, but so far, it hasn’t resulted in any business. I’ve got a feeling that they are a bit conservative, especially in Italy. But as I said earlier, I’m working on two maps for a resort i Switzerland, hopefully that will open some gates.
Being stuck on an island far from the mountains, do you ski at all, how many ski days do you put down on average?
Not enough. In a good year, around 20 days. A bad year around 15. This location isn’t perfect for weekend skiing.
Being a dedicated skier and a big influencer in the ski industry, how did you end up on Gotland?
It’s quite common for ski bums to do summer seasons on Gotland, and so did I after my first winter in Tandådalen. And of course, I fell in love, not only with the island itself, but I also met my wife here. At the time our first kid was born, we decided to settle down on the island. Gotland is lovely, but it’s flat. I do miss the mountains a lot. I’m fortune to work with ski maps, so there are quite a few trips to ski resorts all around.
Finally, if I fancy one of your ski maps, to be hung on my bedroom wall. Would it be possible to buy one from you?
Yes, as an artist, I hold the copyright to my artwork. If I had the time, I could do some business out of it. I sometimes discover companies coping my maps selling them on coasters and stuff like that, that’s a lack of respect and utterly a crime. But if someone wants to buy a map, I’m happy to sell.
While talking to Henrik, it strikes me what a big role he and his few artist colleagues around the world play in the ski industry. A good ski map is essential for every ski resort. It serves as an eyeopener to potential guests. Without a competent ski map, a ski resort will be overlooked in the competition to attract skiers. So, next time you lay your eyes on a ski map, pay a thought to the artist behind the artwork in front of you.
Subscribe to get the latest news, updates and deals from our friends, it´s free!
