Acclaimed Canadian photographer Edward Burtynsky brings environmental issues to our attention through awe-inspiring and often abstract images that document industrial sites.

The photographs are a reflection of our times, and show the complex effects that global manufacturing, and the demands of first world consumers have on the planet. From aerial views of oil fields in Nigeria, to salt pans in India, to Italian Carrara marble quarries and nickel tailings in Sudbury, his stunning large-format photographs made over the past three decades bear sublime witness to the reality of current environmental issues. This exhibition celebrates a recent gift of 76 photographs donated by the artist to the AGH; the largest donation he has made to a museum.

Edward Burtynsky’s distinctions include the TED Prize and the Governor General’s Awards in Visual and Media Arts. In 2006 he was awarded Officer of the Order of Canada and currently holds seven honorary doctorate degrees. Burtynsky lives and works in Toronto and is represented by Nicholas Metivier Gallery in Toronto.