About

For decades, Edward Burtynsky has explored the global intersection of industrial growth and environmental impact through diverse photographic projects. His color photographs document the many facets of landscapes transformed by human industry. Exquisitely detailed and meticulously rendered, his images strike a balance between somber reportage and a captivating aesthetic, reflecting the tension between society’s pursuit of prosperity and its environmental consequences

Over 80 major museums worldwide include Burtynsky’s work in their collections, including prominent institutions such as The Museum of Modern Art, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, and The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York; Tate Modern in London; Museo Reina Sofía in Madrid; the National Gallery of Canada; the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art; and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art in California.

From June 19 to September 28, 2025, the International Center of Photography (ICP) will present The Great Acceleration, Burtynsky’s first solo institutional exhibition in New York City in over twenty years. This exhibition will feature over seventy photographs, including well-known works, previously unseen pieces, and three ultra-high-resolution murals, offering a sweeping look at his exploration of human-altered landscape.

In 2024, the Saatchi Gallery in London hosted BURTYNSKY: EXTRACTION / ABSTRACTION, the retrospective was accompanied by a monograph of the same title published by Steidl. Notable past exhibitions include Anthropocene (2018) at the Art Gallery of Ontario and the National Gallery of Canada (international tour); Water (2013) at the New Orleans Museum of Art & Contemporary Art Center (international tour); Oil (2009) at the Corcoran Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. (five-year international tour); China (2005–2008); Manufactured Landscapes (2003–2005); and Breaking Ground (1988–1992).

Born in St. Catharines, Ontario in 1955, Burtynsky earned his Bachelor of Applied Arts in Photography and Media Studies from Ryerson University in 1982. He was named an Officer of the Order of Canada in 2006 and received the ICP Infinity Award for Art in 2008. In 2018, Photo London named him Master of Photography, and the Mosaic Institute appointed him Peace Patron. In 2019, he received the Arts & Letters Award at the Canadian Association of New York’s Maple Leaf Ball and the Lucie Award for Achievement in Documentary Photography.

Burtynsky received the 2004 TED Prize for his global impact, the ICP Infinity Award for Art (2008), the Rogers Best Documentary Film Award (2006), the Outreach Award at Rencontres d’Arles (2004), and the Roloff Beny Book Award (2003).