Big Things

Edward Burtynsky, Shipbreaking # 4, Chittagong, Bangladesh, 2000

By Eamon Hickey

Last year, T.O.P placed Edward Burtynsky in the No. 3 spot on its Ten Best Living Photographers List, describing him, in Mike's words, as "the landscapist of the 21st century, the visual chronicler of humanity overrunning Earth."

Or you could take Burtynsky's own self-assessment, a simple equation he laid out for reluctant Chinese authorities in the course of explaining to them why they should let him photograph the Three Gorges Dam. "I photograph big things," he told them, "and you make big things."

Burtynsky recounted that (possibly apocryphal) story last Wednesday night at the official U.S. premiere of "Manufactured Landscapes," a feature-length documentary film about the photographer and his work made by fellow Canadian Jennifer Baichwal (below right). The film, which has won a pocketful of notable awards at film festivals and the like, will be showing at Film Forum in New York City for the next ten days, then meanders around a couple dozen U.S. cities between now and December. (See the Zeitgeist Films website for playdates.)

The film is largely shot in China and ostensibly follows Burtynsky as he makes images of that country's intense industrial expansion. It's artful, interesting and thought-provoking throughout, and worth making an effort to find if it makes its way anywhere near you. Photographers should be aware, however, that "Manufactured Landscapes" offers very little about Burtynsky's creative process and nothing about his photographic technique (other than what you can glean from fairly brief sequences of him using a 4x5 field camera). The film is much more interested in the ideas and questions implicit in Burtynsky's work—ideas about the foundations and consequences of our industrial/consumer economy and social structure.

Mercury Films, which produced "Manufactured Landscapes," tells us that the film has also been sold in a dozen or so other markets around the world. Check these distributors for playdates in their respective regions:

U.S.—Zeitgeist Films

Canada—Mongrel Media

Switzerland—Xenix

Poland—Against Gravity

Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg—Cinemien

Spain—Gaia Films

Australia/New Zealand—Madman Entertainment

Austria—Polyfilm (Celluloid Dreams) 

Bosnia, Serbia, Montenegro, Macedonia—Terra Entertainment

France—ED  Films

Japan—Caf Groove

Edward Burtynsky, Three Gorges Dam Project, Feg Jie #5, Yangtze River, China

Other URLs:

T.O.P. Ten Best Living Photographers

Edward Burtynsky

Film Forum

Manufactured Landscapes (at producer's web site)

_____________

Eamon Hickey

Comments

[yunfat]

Saw the Burtynsky photos of China about a year ago and couldn't believe the technical skill of the guy, never mind the fact he chooses great subjects. If you haven't seen these works I can only say that the web just can't do them justice, these are huge pieces, some bigger than 6 feet, and the detail is incredible. If the guy is displaying in a town or museum near you, RUN, don't walk, to see his work. The three gorges project is the best large format photography I have seen, and presents humanity at a unique crossroads, there is clearly a statement being made, although I hesitate to put into words the sublime characteristics of such a masterful series.

[tim atherton]

it's been on TV a couple of times already - at least in Canada

[tim atherton]

PS - it's also on the shelves of the local Blockbuster and the library here - not too hard to find

[Svein-Frode]

For info on the creative process, look here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=67j7JlEZzpQ

[Salvador Moreno Rivas]

I've been lucky to see his work in Photoespaña 2006 in Madrid, astounding pictures, the best Imagen quality I've ever seen on a photograph, and his message is as powerful as his pictures.

[Jack Brauer]

I saw this film at Sundance Film Fest this year in January. This was by far my favorites film of the show. The film not only honored Burtynsky's photos, but also built upon his message with some incredible filming, such as the opening five minute pan inside a Chinese factory.

One thing that stands out in my mind is how they well they presented his photos: always starting with a small detail of a photo, like for example a couple workers and a tractor, and slowly zooming out to show the entire scene, such as an enormous quarry - it was a very effective way of emphasizing the grand scale of his photos.

[Gary Nylander]

Edward's work was featured at the Vernon Art Gallery, north of Kelowna, B.C. last year, I'm glad I made the effort to see his work, quite fabulous.

[Zach]

It's playing at the Telecom NZFF in New Zealand in a few weeks - I hope they got a good print. http://www.nzff.co.nz/

[George V.]

there is a video of Edward Burtynsky accepting his 2005 TED Prize:
http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/view/id/56

along with some other great photographers such as James Nachtwey:
http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/view/id/84