About the Work
This photograph of the ICA’s building while it was under construction shows the façade’s dramatic cantilever jutting into the clear blue sky, framing Boston’s skyline in the distance. It is a perfect example of the photographer’s fascination with “the intricate link between industry and nature.” On the left hand bottom of the frame, a shadow of the artist’s body intrudes on the composition, displaying an instance of rare self-portraiture by a primarily landscape photographer.
About the Artist
The photographs of Canadian-born Edward Burtynsky are vivid documents of the decline of the earth’s natural state due to the interference of human beings. Rich in color and depth, he documents everything from Canada’s mines and railways, to China’s manufacturing and recycling plants, to Bangladesh’s shipbuilding businesses, to America’s own love affair with oil. His heartbreaking images of the recent BP oil spill in the Gulf received national exposure and appeared in publications such as The New York Times Magazine. In 2012, this body of work will travel to museums in the United States and the United Kingdom.
The subject of innumerable international exhibitions, Burtynsky’s distinctions include the TED Prize (2005); The Outreach award at the Rencontres d’Arles (2004); The Flying Elephant Fellowship; the Roloff Beny Book award; and most recently the MOCCA Award (2011). The recipient of four honorary doctorates, Burtynsky was awarded the title of Officer of the Order of Canada in 2006.
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