A view of manufactured landscapes

In conjunction with the Governor General's visit, I had the honour of attending the official opening of Edward Burtynsky's photo exhibition "Manufactured Landscapes," held at the Cable Factory in Helsinki on October 7, 2003.

The evening began with a speech given by Her Excellency the Right Honourable Adrienne Clarkson, Governor General of Canada, in which she praised Edward Burtynsky's work. Her words also made us reflect upon the paradox that the photos of Edward Burtynsky portray.

One usually does not associate beauty and industrial waste; however, Burtynsky's lens truly captures the unusual essence that brings the two together. The brochure from the Cable Factory describing the exhibition says it all: "The exhibition focuses on Edward Burtynsky's examination of the intersections between land and technology, their inherent unorthodox beauty, and the ways in which they reflect the culture that created them. Burtynsky's images of the sites used for manufacturing serve to reconnect the viewers to the aspects of manufacturing and technological production that are usually ignored, while challenging viewers to redefine their concept of what constitutes a landscape."

This collection of photos is compiled of manufactured landscapes from all over the world. As I walked through the exhibition hall, I could not help but notice that I was somehow mesmerized by these photos. I admired in awe the way in which he brought out the beauty in what would otherwise normally be considered dismal and depressing. Should you ever have the opportunity to view his photographs, I sincerely recommend that you do so. It is unfortunate that this exhibit was here only for a short time, October 3-15, 2003.

Edward Burtynsky was born in St. Catherines, Ontario in 1955. He has had numerous solo and group exhibitions throughout his career. He had the honour of being a delegate during the Governor General's circumpolar State visit to Finland and Iceland this fall.

By Maryna Siemienski