Edward Burtynsky (b. 1955) is one of Canada's most successful photographers. He is internationally renowned for his large-format photographs documenting the ramifications of industry on the environment.
In the 1980s, at the beginning of his photographic career, Burtynsky photographed landscapes that straddled the line between the natural and the altered. Works from this period often capture forests, rivers, and rural terrain, emphasizing formal qualities such as line, texture, and colour while hinting at human presence or subtle environmental change.
"Circle, West Virginia, Fall 1982" is an interesting early image from the artist. Highlighting a natural quirk in the forest, Burtynsky captures a circle of trees. Completely barren, the branches stand out, bright among the rolling autumnal hills.
Even in his early landscapes, Burtynsky balances aesthetic composition with an awareness of ecological transformation, laying the groundwork for the larger-scale examinations of industrialized terrain that have come to define his current practice.
Balancing formal beauty with environmental and cultural commentary, Burtynsky's early photographs reflecting a deep engagement with both the tradition of Canadian landscape and the visual language of modernist painting.
Burtynsky's work is represented in over 50 museum collections around the world ranging from The National Gallery of Canada, and the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, to Victoria and Albert Museum, London, and Bibliothèque National, Paris.
Questions about this piece? Contact us, call +1.416.704.1720, or visit our Toronto gallery.
"West Virginia" Fall 1982
Chromogenic print
Signed, titled, dated, and numbered 2/25 in pencil, lower edge
From an edition of 25
16.5"H 20.5"W (work)
25.5"H 29.5"W (framed)
Very good condition
Provenance: Private Collection, Toronto, acquired directly from the artist
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