Some 20 or so large format colour digital C-type prints make up this travelling exhibition from Western Australian Museum. Burtynsky captures astounding scenes in these industrial landscapes. Some of the compositions are quite other worldly as the panoramic birds-eye views create abstracted forms resembling lunar landscapes or expressionistic paintings rather than photographs.
Burtynsky travelled in a helicopter to obtain these aerial views. The result is a riveting look at man-made gorges, abstract scenes of a land cut open revealing the earth’s stratigraphy like a layer cake, massive upside-down pyramids of the Super Pit #4 at Kalgoorlie and the painterly abstraction of Tailings #1 and Silverlake Operations #15.
Tailings #1 2007, Kalgoorlie WA, Chromogenic Colour print
While all of the images are spectacular, a real standout is Super Pit #4. The photo also provokes thoughts about how comparatively insignificant the boom town appears perched next to the pit's perimeter, ironically showing how massive our industrial footprint is at the same time. The sheer scale and detail captured in one shot is reminiscent of the panoramic mastery of Melvin Vaniman a century before.
These minescapes were a Foto Freo (City of Fremantle Festival of Photography) commission coming off the renowned international reputation of Burtynsky’s previous series, Shipbreaking in Bangladesh (2000) and Shipbuilding in China (2005). ACP in fact shows a few photographs from these series in the adjoining gallery. The continued ‘industrial wastelands theme’ is also complimented by a stirring audio visual presentation of yet another body of work called the China Series. This series shows the decrepit landscapes of rubbish tips, derelict houses and city demolition sites, alongside oil mines, massive road networks and hundreds of factory workers going about their business.
Overall the images of production and destruction, progression and regression are juxtaposed to great effect. Better be quick to catch this one!
17 July – 22 August 2009
Free entry
Tuesday – Friday 12:00 – 7:00pm every day
Saturday and Sunday 10:00am – 6.00pm
Australian Centre for Photography (ACP)
Oxford Street
Paddington NSW 2021
www.acp.org.au
Burtynsky travelled in a helicopter to obtain these aerial views. The result is a riveting look at man-made gorges, abstract scenes of a land cut open revealing the earth’s stratigraphy like a layer cake, massive upside-down pyramids of the Super Pit #4 at Kalgoorlie and the painterly abstraction of Tailings #1 and Silverlake Operations #15.
Tailings #1 2007, Kalgoorlie WA, Chromogenic Colour print
While all of the images are spectacular, a real standout is Super Pit #4. The photo also provokes thoughts about how comparatively insignificant the boom town appears perched next to the pit's perimeter, ironically showing how massive our industrial footprint is at the same time. The sheer scale and detail captured in one shot is reminiscent of the panoramic mastery of Melvin Vaniman a century before.
These minescapes were a Foto Freo (City of Fremantle Festival of Photography) commission coming off the renowned international reputation of Burtynsky’s previous series, Shipbreaking in Bangladesh (2000) and Shipbuilding in China (2005). ACP in fact shows a few photographs from these series in the adjoining gallery. The continued ‘industrial wastelands theme’ is also complimented by a stirring audio visual presentation of yet another body of work called the China Series. This series shows the decrepit landscapes of rubbish tips, derelict houses and city demolition sites, alongside oil mines, massive road networks and hundreds of factory workers going about their business.
Overall the images of production and destruction, progression and regression are juxtaposed to great effect. Better be quick to catch this one!
17 July – 22 August 2009
Free entry
Tuesday – Friday 12:00 – 7:00pm every day
Saturday and Sunday 10:00am – 6.00pm
Australian Centre for Photography (ACP)
Oxford Street
Paddington NSW 2021
www.acp.org.au
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