Seminar 3: Research Task

I am going to be comparing photographers Timothy O’ Sullivan and Edward Burtynsky for this research task. Timothy O’ Sullivan was commissioned by the US federal government to document the exploration of the American West for its untapped natural resources. In context the American-Mexican War was roughly 30 years prior to O’Sullivan’s series of the American West. His photographs portrayed somewhat the American West as picturesque because of the unspoiled landscapes. Also it is described as sublime because of the untamed, dangerous and unknown formations of the landscape. Additionally prior to the series there had been a mass migration of Americans due to “Manifest Destiny” and of European Immigrants because of the will to shake off the oppressive nature of 19^th century Europe and also due to the Gold Rush in Western states like California. Scales plays an important role in his photographs because it shows the vast nature of the American West not seen before. In terms of composition the majority of O’Sullivan’s work can vary from central to spread across the frame.

Edward Burtynsky main theme for his work is how nature has been transformed through the presence of man and industrialisation in the modern wold. When I view Burtynsky’s work it provokes anger within me because it shows how man has abused the planet through pure selfish desires and deep seated greed. However, I like the uniformity element in some of his work because I perceive it as a metaphor that we are all alike in our desire to gain wealth and power. Also I think that his work is a symbol for the death of the American Dream set out in the United States roughly 60-70 years ago by the lower and middleclass because we are now running low on fossil fuels. In context his work can be referencing the power struggles between nations of the world for control of natural resources. Also his work is connected to environmental disaster stories such as the 2010 BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

The Similarity between O’Sullivan and Burtynsky are that both document the presence of Man on the Land in the American West. The differences between these photographers are that O’Sullivan’s work documents the beginnings of the Industrial revolution whereas Burtynsky’s work documents the death of Industrialisation due to economic difficulties. I believe that there is a connection between the two photographers work because Burtynsky is documenting the direct result of O’Sullivan’s documentation of the presence of man in unspoiled landscapes in extracting the natural resources.