VIRTUAL WORLD PREMIERE
Luminato Festival Toronto
On October 16, 2021, Luminato Festival Toronto will unveil Edward Burtynsky’s In the Wake of Progress – a fully choreographed blend of photographs and film, including new and never-before-seen works, by world-renowned Canadian photographer Edward Burtynsky. Created for the screens surrounding Toronto’s Yonge-Dundas Square, and filmed by Bokeh Collective for the 2021 Festival’s online audience, the piece tells the epic tale of humanity’s impact on the planet through photographs and film from Burtynsky’s 40-year career.
This new 22-minute piece, co-produced by Canadian music legend Bob Ezrin, presents the powerful imagery of global landscapes devastated by human activity in contrast to the dazzling urban centre, at a moment when the health of our planet is an urgent international priority. Edward Burtynsky’s In the Wake of Progress includes an original soundtrack by composer and sound designer Phil Strong, featuring award-winning musical artist iskwē, as well as musicians of The Glenn Gould School at The Royal Conservatory of Music, co-orchestrated and conducted by Claudio Vena.