Edward Burtynsky - Documenting our Impact on the Environment

Edward Burtynsky is a photographer unlike any other. His focus is humanity's impact on the environment:

Nature transformed through industry is a predominant theme in my work. I set course to intersect with a contemporary view of the great ages of man; from stone, to minerals, oil, transportation, silicon, and so on. To make these ideas visible I search for subjects that are rich in detail and scale yet open in their meaning. Recycling yards, mine tailings, quarries and refineries are all places that are outside of our normal experience, yet we partake of their output on a daily basis.

When Burtynsky went to China to document what was happening there, he found inspiration in photographing the development of the Three Gorges dam and a factory churning out millions of steam irons for pressing clothes. As he worked, he was filmed and the resulting movie is called Manufactured Landscapes. I watched a part of it last night and it honestly opened my eyes as to where all the jobs are and why they are there instead of the west.



Here is a photograph depicting a view of computer parts. (most discarded electronics now winds up in China for recycling)

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This is a granite quarry in Vermont:

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Shipbreaking in Bangladesh:

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Somehow Edward Burtynsky manages to make his photography into great art, suitable for the finest galleries. Please, take the time to go through his website and view his collection. It's guaranteed to awe.

reply to post by masqua


Edward Burtynsky's work is amazing, just went through all his galleries, certainly his work has had a major impact. I know who is but haven't thought about him for a long time, thank for bringing this important information to the fore.

I love the shipyard project very much..the picture of the Granite Quarry in Vermont is beautiful, the enviroment and art do go together. There is a place called Grindstone City at the top of the Thumb in Michigan where they mined Granite since before the nineteen hundreds, was not able to find pictures but was there as a child.

[edit on 29-8-2010 by Aquarius1]

Did a second search and was able to find this picutre and web site.

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/d0a71df6bd07.jpg[/atsimg]
One of the few remaining grindstones on the beach. This one is about 3.5 feet in diameter. The beach used to be covered in the old Grindstones; from 1.5 feet to six feet in diameter. Bad, bad thieves plundered them all away.

michpics.wordpress.com...

reply to post by Aquarius1


That's a pity. I can imagine them stuck in flower beds all over Michigan.

Glad you enjoyed the Burtynsky Gallery. I've admired his work ever since I read an article on his photography in The Walrus magazine. He also did the cover using a pic of a granite quarry. At first glance, I thought it was a cubist painting.

Remarkable work.