OC RCA
1955 -
Canadian
Shipyard #20, Qili Port, Zhejiang Province, China
digital chromogenic print
on verso signed, titled, editioned 2/9 on the artist's label and dated 2005
49 x 39 in, 124.5 x 99.1 cm
Estimate: $15,000 - $25,000 CAD
Sold for: $16,250
Preview at:
PROVENANCE
Nicholas Metivier Gallery, Toronto
Private Collection, Toronto
LITERATURE
Marc Mayer et al., China: The Photographs of Edward Burtynsky, 2005, reproduced pages 70 and 130
Edward Burtynsky’s practice explores the intersections of human industrialization and the natural environment, tracking the transformations and alterations that are the consequences of modernization. Taken in the Qili Port as part of an extended exploration of China, the Shipyard photographs are among Burtynsky’s most imposing works, documenting the construction site of up to 250 ships a year. Here, the statuesque hulk looms over the viewer. From ground level, the overwhelming size of the ship is made apparent, while the low angle renders it unfamiliar. Rusted and skeletal, bristling with gantries and wires and surrounded by fragmented metal, it’s initially unclear whether the huge ship is being built or dismantled. Even so, the colossal scale is grounded to the human body: two workmen, dwarfed against the structure, look out to camera; a team of welders work within the canyon-sized spaces between ships; and a row of diminutive bikes nestles precariously in the shadow of the hull. The overall effect is something sublime and alienating, with the immensity of the construction underscoring the dizzying material demands of modernity.
All prices are in Canadian Dollars
Although great care has been taken to ensure the accuracy of the information posted, errors and omissions may occur. All bids are subject to our
Terms and Conditions of Business. Bidders must ensure they have satisfied themselves with the
condition of the Lot prior to bidding. Condition reports are available upon request.