Edward Burtynsky at SPE

Edward Burtynsky gave the closing lecture on Saturday night for the 45th SPE conference, Agents of Change: Art and Advocacy. Burtynsky grew up in Ontario so it is not surprising that he is attracted to the "industrial sublime." I have seen much of his work in books, though I had not seen the images of manufacturing plants and old factories in China. I was moved by the scale of this work, and could relate to it, particularly after now having lived in the Rust Belt for 3 years. His discussion of China's industry as kind of "totalitarian Capitalism," was also informing.

http://www.edwardburtynsky.com/

Manufacturing #2,
Shift Change, Yuyuan Shoe Factory,
Gaobu Town, Guangdong Province, 2004
©Edward Burtynsky

Manufacturing #10B,
Cankun Factory, Xiamen City, 2005
©Edward Burtynsky

Old Factories #4,

Shenyang Heavy Machinery Group,
Tiexi District, Shenyang City, Liaoning Province, 2005
©Edward Burtynsky