Edward Burtynsky: Manufactured Landscapes

I enjoyed this film because Burtynsky's view on the smallest details in the corruption and evolution of our planet are crucial reminders. In my own work I look into social awareness topics whether that is between human and human, human and nature, or human and the world, much like the general arguments in books. With “Manufactured Landscapes” I am taken aback by how these larger images such as a wide shot image of oil tanks or of a factory get to that point. Actions such as the dissecting of computer part from California in China to achieve the highest percentage of recovery. And although recycling is stressed high in liberal areas and throughout our country/globally, the process and need for recycling is intensified in these images of the workers. It may be easy to just categorize paper, plastic, aluminum, and glass, but the real work afterwards is never questioned. Burtynsky provides us with an image of 45 million tires. This goes against the recycling images, but this is also because method of recycling is much more prominent in China. Burtynsky shows two strong images from Chine: a still moment of workers in a factory and real-time footage of an assembler at their normal pace for a ten hour workday. What is very strong about the first image is that Burtnsky had to make the workers pause five to ten seconds to get this image. He need about five times to do this just to get an images. That is how dedicated these workers are to their jobs.

There is also strong relationship that can be symbolic to the greater picture: Burtynsky working with the corporations. Burtynsky works with the corporations rather than against; yet the corporations take their time sometimes. Now if we could put forth that effort along with the corporations meeting halfway, a lot more could be done and more efficiently.  He took images of oil fields in California. Thinking more into the purpose of oil, the effects: cars to roads to jobs and shopping. So much relies on this domino wheel.  I also liked the display of: Obey the birth control law. In the background is the adaptation of our way of life and embrace the leading ritual lifestyle.  Burtnsky’s video also encouraged me to view another show: Living on One Dollar on Netflix. The struggles these workers go through can be correlated to those in the factories as well, but there is a strong contrast between the two in a senses of technology and environment as in Burtnsky’s photos.