"Chinese Workers"

Artist: Edward Burtynsky

Photo: Chinese Workers

Edward Burtynsky has a very unique style of photographs in that there are hardly any bright colors, the content isn't very extreme, and the subjects don't appear very outstanding. However, his ability to photograph situations that make us take a step back and think is what caught my attention. When I saw his artwork, all I saw were repeating patterns of every day objects or people; things that we try not to remember or stay blissfully unaware of. This particular photo sparked my special attention because of the geometry involved. The simple title for the work "Chinese Workers" pretty much says it all for the photo, however, Burtynsky was able to make so much more out of the situation. The one reoccurring shade of blue keeps the eye moving from one point to the next while the hundreds of vertical and horizontal lines push the viewer along. It's also interesting to note that the shutter speed was set quite low as you can see by some of the moving workers. Overall, this particular piece I'm sure is a part of a much larger work but it stands out for several reasons.