Study Visit to Burtynsky: Oil

In May this year I joined a study visit to the Burtynsky: Oil exhibition at The Photographers' Gallery in London.  The exhibition showed 3 sections from Burtynsky's series Oil: Extraction and Refinement, Transportation and Motor Culture and The End of Oil.

The work depicts landscapes scarred by the extraction of oil, and the cities and suburban sprawl defined by its use.  It also addresses the coming of the end of oil.

Some of my favourite images from the exhibition are shown below:

"SOCAR Oil Fields #6, Baku, Azerbaijan" by Edward Burtynsky

This image shows a large oil extraction platform.  The lighting of the image is attractive and helps to make the platform look more interesting and less intrusive on the landscape.  The platform is placed centrally in the frame, giving the image quite a static feel.  The vertical pillars provide rhythm to the image leading to the tower at the right hand side.

"Oil Fields #22, Cold Lake, Alberta, Canada 2003" by Edward Burtynsky

In this image an oil pipeline snakes through a pine forest in the wide open spaces of Alberta.  The modern, high tech pipeline jars with the natural landscape.  This is due both to its colour and its man made finish.  The contrast is of man-made environment with nature.  The pipeline forms a strong graphic element in the photograph.  It forms a strong leading line, drawing the eye into the image.  The diagonals of the pipeline impart movement in the image.

"Highway #1, Intersection 105 & 110, Los Angeles, California, USA, 2003" by Edward Burtynsky

This photograph is of a major highway intersection in the USA.  This is a strong example of a man-altered landscape.  The people in the vehicles are reduced to a minor part in the composition.  Many of Edward Burtynsky's images are devoid of humans, although the results of their work is clearly obvious.  This image has a strong graphic feel.  The road layout is reduced almost to an art form, (people, cars and homes are dwarfed by the massive structure).  The intersection is placed centrally in the frame but the curves provide movement in the image.

"Oil Fields #19b Belridge, California, USA, 2003" by Edward Burtynsky

This image of oil fields in California is presented in the form of a diptych.  The effect is to give a good impression of the vastness of the oil fields.  The presentation echoes the religious diptychs often seen in church.  Often the Madonna and Child have a leaf each.  The two images are not actually connected but intended to be hung close together as a pair.  This form of presentation has also been used elsewhere in modern art.  A fairly recent example is Andy Worhol's "Marilyn Diptych" from 1962.  This image is shown below:

"Marilyn Diptych" by Andy Worhol.

"Oxford Tire Pile, #4, Westley, California, USA 1999" by Edward Burtynsky

This photograph shows a massive pile of used tyres awaiting recycling.  The impression is of a sustainable future.  Fears of the end of oil pushes man to see recycling of oil based products as a possible way of extending the life of remaining stocks.  The circular nature of the tyre pile with a contrasting hole in the centre reminds the viewer of a huge whirlpool or "black hole".