In my work, I’ve pursued a journey of creating a visual language that puts our dilemma in front of us without diverting our eyes or our attention. In the infinite universe of possibilities, the pursuit of beauty and the archetypes that are deeply embedded in our collective human consciousness feels like a worthy endeavour
Edward Burtynsky
Extraction and abstraction – this is the assonant duality at the centre of the extensive career survey dedicated to Edward Burtynsky, presented for the first time in Italy at the M9 – Museum of the 20th Century after its debut at the Saatchi Gallery in London. Over more than forty years, the Canadian photographer has traveled the world, documenting the complex relationship between human beings and Nature and capturing the otherwise invisible effects that industrialization and development have imprinted on our planet like indelible marks on a wounded body. Yet, these scars of the Earth in Burtynsky’s large photographs transform into images of poignant beauty that provide hypnotic immersive visions, seductive landscapes, and sublime bird’s-eye views where the boundaries between ethics and aesthetics seem to dissolve. Curated by Marc Mayer, former director of the National Gallery of Canada and the Musée d’Art Contemporain in Montreal, the exhibition gathers over 80 large-format photographs, 13 high-definition murals, an augmented reality experience, and a new section, Archive of Process, showcasing the tools and cameras used by the photographer.
The exhibition also includes a multi-screen installation titled In the Wake of Progress. Created in 2022 and presented on various occasions in densely commercial spaces, on screens usually occupied by advertising, the work shows tons of metallic litter, debris, and poisoned sludge as a counterpoint to the daze of consumerism. As the world faces the reality of climate change and environmental degradation, Burtynsky’s work is more relevant than ever and stands as a powerful warning that never adopts a preaching tone, instead inviting reflection and challenging the observer to consider their role in the global ecosystem. Through his lens, more revealing than punitive, Burtynsky forces us to look closer, think more deeply, and act more responsibly.
