Acclaimed Canadian photographer Edward Burtynsky has dedicated his career to documenting the profound and often disturbing ways human activity has transformed Earth's landscapes. His latest project, titled "Anthropocene," focuses on what scientists describe as a new geological epoch defined by humanity's permanent impact on the planet. Through striking large-format photographs, Burtynsky captures scenes of industrial extraction, massive infrastructure, and environmental alteration that most people never witness firsthand. His work seeks to make visible the hidden costs of modern civilization's consumption patterns and resource demands.
One of the most compelling images from the series was captured deep underground in a potash mine beneath Berezniki, a city in central Siberia, Russia. To access this subterranean world, Burtynsky and his team rode an industrial elevator large enough to accommodate forty miners and their heavy equipment. They traveled through a network of tunnels extending approximately ten kilometers in total darkness, where the only illumination came from vehicle headlights and their own headlamps. The photographer described the environment as humid and bone-chillingly cold, with foggy air that made breathing difficult. Working more than 300 meters beneath the surface, Burtynsky was struck by the surreal beauty of the ancient seabed, now revealed in vibrant layers of orange-striped potash deposits.
The mine's walls bore distinctive patterns created by a massive drilling machine that miners call a "harvester." This equipment carves tunnels using rotating discs on either side, and when it reverses, it leaves behind medallion-like impressions in the rock. These marks, along with the tunnels themselves, represent what scientists term "anthroturbation"—the permanent alteration of Earth's rock and sediment masses by human activity. Burtynsky explains that these underground passages will remain long after our cities have crumbled and forests have reclaimed the land, serving as enduring evidence of our civilization's existence, much like the Lascaux cave paintings document human presence twenty thousand years ago.
For four decades, Burtynsky has traveled the globe seeking examples of what he calls "human annexation"—the systematic extraction of materials from Earth to satisfy human needs. His photographs reveal the disconnect between what we consume and where it originates. While people admire skyscrapers, they rarely see the silica quarries that produce the glass. They walk on concrete sidewalks without considering the sand mines where it was formed. They buy agricultural products without witnessing the deforestation that preceded farming or the potash mines that produce fertilizers enabling large-scale agriculture. His images make visible these hidden landscapes of extraction and transformation.
The photographer admits to feeling deeply alarmed by the consumption society he is documenting, particularly when considering the world his daughters will inherit. He believes most people never have the opportunity to see where the resources that make their lives possible actually come from. This ignorance, he argues, allows society to ignore what he calls the "heavy tribute" that nature pays for every human creation. Through his photography, he aims to bridge this awareness gap, forcing viewers to confront the environmental consequences of modern lifestyles. His work raises urgent questions about sustainability and humanity's long-term impact on the planet's ecosystems.
The Anthropocene project extends beyond still photography into a multimedia exhibition that includes film and virtual reality components, represented by galleries including Howard Greenberg Gallery and Bryce Wolkowitz Gallery in New York, and Robert Koch Gallery in San Francisco. Burtynsky's previous work for National Geographic has focused on critical environmental issues such as California's water crisis, featured in the April 2020 issue. Through this latest project, he continues to challenge audiences to reconsider their relationship with the natural world. The photographs serve as both artistic achievements and environmental documentation, capturing landscapes that are simultaneously beautiful and troubling. As climate change and resource depletion become increasingly urgent concerns, Burtynsky's work provides a powerful visual record of humanity's geological legacy.
