Edward Burtynsky describes in the new book that photographing oil bunkering in Nigeria’s Niger Delta was a “transformative experience” — one that revealed the full extent of the damage we cause to our planet. Oil has soaked large areas of the landscape, with refineries scattered across the country. As , the photographer leaped out of the helicopter to capture the scene, he was greeted by a sea of surreal colors.
The book African Studies (Steidl), , is the culmination seven years’ travels in ten countries of sub-Saharan Africa. Burtynsky saw what The New Yorker Raffi Khachatchadourian described as an “epic story of industrialization, economic colonialism and environmental degradation”.
The photographer views the continent, with its wealth of natural resources and treasures, as “a fragile and final frontier” in terms of industrialization and extraction. The cost of industrial “progress”, without sustainable practices, will be devastating to forests and people who depend on it, especially those who are most vulnerable.
Burtynsky took the photos using drones and helicopters. The photographs include tailing ponds that show the aftermath of diamond mines in South Africa, and sapphire mines of South Eastern Madagascar. Edward Burtynsky’s photographs are not known for their people but they show the human toll of industrial activity.
Some of these images were taken at the Dandora Landfill, Nairobi. Although it was decommissioned in 2012, the landfill had not been officially closed. Residents are working among piles of plastic and exposed to toxic waste that can cause illness. These photographs are clearly ours and our world.
Even in the face ecological crisis, there is a surprising element at the heart of African Studies – a sense hope and beauty. Burtynsky’s work goes beyond the industrial landscapes to include “untouched” or “unspoiled” areas, i.e. large swaths that haven’t been over-exploited.
Namibia’s Tsaus mountains and Kenya’s Rift valley are two examples. It’s like stepping into the past and seeing how things might have looked before humans intervened. This is a beautiful and haunting reminder of the dangers that face Africa.