Edward Burtynsky
 
BIOGRAPHY:
 
Edward Burtynsky is known as one of Canada's most respected photographers. His remarkable photographic depictions of global industrial landscapes are in the collections of several major museums around the world, including the National Gallery of Canada, the Bibliotèque Nationale in Paris, the Museum of Modern Art and Guggenheim Museum in New York.
 
Born in 1955 of Ukrainian heritage at St. Catharines, Ontario, Burtynsky is a graduate of Ryerson University (Bachelor of Applied Arts in Photography) and Niagara College (Graphic Art). He links his early exposure to the sites and images of the General Motors plant in his hometown to the development of his photographic work. Edward Burtynsky's imagery explores the intricate connection between industry and nature; combining the raw elements of mining, quarrying, manufacturing, shipping, oil production and recycling into eloquent, highly expressive visions that find beauty and humanity in the most unlikely of places. In 1985, Burtynsky also founded Toronto Image Works, a darkroom rental facility, custom photo laboratory, digital imaging and new media computer-training centre catering to all levels of Toronto's art community. Mr. Burtynsky also sits on the board of directors for Toronto’s international photography festival, Contact.
 
Exhibitions include Manufactured Landscapes at the National Gallery of Canada (2003) and Before the Flood (2003), which were showcased in San Francisco, Toronto, Montreal and London in 2004, and the Brooklyn Museum of Art in 2005, Burtynsky's visually compelling works have recently been exhibited in solo and group exhibitions across Canada, in the United States, Europe and Asia.
 
An active lecturer on photographic art, Mr. Burtynsky's speaking engagements include the National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa, the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C., George Eastman House in Rochester, NY, The Canadian Center for Architecture in Montreal, the Art Gallery of Ontario, the TED conference, Idea City, and Princeton University, New Jersey. His images have appeared in numerous periodicals, among them: Art in America, The Smithsonian, Harper's Magazine, Flash Art, Blind Spot, Art Forum, Saturday Night, Canadian Art, Playboy, GQ, the National Geographic Society and the New York Times.
 
Mr. Burtynsky’s distinctions include the TED Prize, The Outreach award at the Rencontres d’Arles, The Flying Elephant Fellowship, Applied Arts Magazine book award(s), and the Roloff Beny Book award. In 2007 he was awarded the title Officer of the Order of Canada anb his honourary degrees include: Doctor of Laws, from Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario, Doctor of Fine Arts in Photography, Ryerson University, Toronto and Doctor or Fine Arts from Monserrat College of Art, Beverly, Massachusetts.
 
Edward Burtynsky is represented by: Nicholas Metivier Gallery in Toronto, Paul Kuhn Gallery in Calgary, Art 45 in Montreal, Charles Cowles Gallery in New York, Robert Koch Gallery in San Francisco, Flowers East in London, Galeria Toni Tapies in Barcelona and Galerie Stefan Röpke in Köln. His prints are housed in public, corporate and private collections worldwide.