Dryland Farming
Dryland Farming #17, Edward Burtynsky
At the end of this month, concurrent exhibitions of work by 2005 TED Prize Winner Edward Burtynsky will open in New York City.
From their announcement…
The exhibition at Bryce Wolkowitz Gallery will feature large-scale works from Burtynsky’s newest series Dryland Farming. Shot in the remote Monegros region of northeastern Spain, the photographs capture the vibrant topography of a landscape in flux. This hilly, arid terrain is both desolate and fertile, with farmland carved from the gypsum foothills. Despite a scarcity of water, generations of farmers have attempted to tame this wilderness, growing cereal grains, such as wheat, barley, and corn, and creating the undulating patchwork seen today. Burtynsky trains his lens on these constructed landscapes, which are a juxtaposition of nature’s unspoiled beauty with man’s endeavor to harness the power and bounty within it.
Burtynsky photographed these patterned crop fields from a 2,000 foot aerial view, resulting in his most abstract works to date. The twisted lines and bold patches of color and texture create forms that are powerfully rich and painterly. Viewing these works conjures the energy of Abstract Expressionism, and the evocative styles of Kandinsky, Miro, and Dubuffet, as well as primitive art and cave drawings.
The concurrent exhibition at Howard Greenberg Gallery will present a retrospective that spans Burtynsky’s career. These images explore the complex relationship between industry and nature, constructed brilliance and unspoiled earth, and represent Burtynsky’s ongoing examination of humanity’s growing ecological footprint.
An opening reception will take place at Bryce Wolkowitz Gallery on Wednesday, October 26, 6-8pm. A second opening reception will take place Thursday, October 27, 6:30-8:30pm at Howard Greenberg Gallery.
