The exhibition Burtynsky / OIL was a thematically organized overview of the important fuel. To begin with, Burtynsky shows how to extract oil. Furthermore, he photographs cities and suburbs that depend on the supply of oil, as well as the subcultures that have arisen around man's obsession with motor vehicles and transportation. Finally, he addresses the issue of oil running out and highlights the consequences of our energy economy and of the dwindling supply of the raw material that powers our civilization.

Burtynsky's photographs are more than just documentation; they are in the area between industrial photography and visual art that Bernd and Hilla Becher staked out in the 1970s. Despite the raw and technical motifs, Burtynsky's images are captivating, not to say romantic. His compositions have been compared to the contemplative paintings of Caspar David Friedrich. Burtynsky's masterful control of the medium is evident in the photographs' wealth of detail and nuance. He is well aware that every step in the photographic process contributes to the design of the final image. It is this craftsmanship that causes us to be unconsciously drawn into the subject and once there begin to reflect on the vulnerable state of our planet.

Edward Burtynsky (b. 1955) is one of Canada's most famous photographers. His work has been exhibited in museums worldwide and is included in many institutional and private collections, including the National Gallery of Canada, the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, the Reina Sofia in Madrid, the Museum of Modern Art and the Guggenheim in New York. He has been awarded the TED Prize and the Outreach Award at the Arles Photography Festival.

Size: 19.69"W 27.56"H (50x70 cm)

Printed on 170g FSC-certified paper.