Even as I write that title, I cringe. To call the destruction of a once lush wilderness “beautiful” is to walk the line between neutrality and complicity. And to be clear, I am neither.
The Tar Sands project in Alberta has claimed 141,000 square kilometers of Alberta, Canada, and turned forest into a toxic landscape of oily ponds and scarred earth that stretches to the horizon.
Climate change photographer Ashley Cooper documented the Tar Sands project in a recently-published collection of images that have put an ugly face to the household name. Check out the gallery above for Cooper’s candid look at the Tar Sands.
Do we dare call Cooper’s work beautiful? Decades ago director Godfrey Reggio shot a film called “Koyaanisqatsi” [Hopi for “Life out of Balance”], which depicted a man-made world gone mad with development and expansion at the expense of the Earth. It was as beautiful as it was cautionary and terrifying, and it compelled critics to describe it as “breathtaking” and “music for the eyes.”
In this instance, we can probably assume that outrage and impetus are the principle reactions desired by photographer.
Whatever Cooper’s intentions, he certainly left little mystery as to the real goings-on up there in Alberta.
I guess in this case them word only told one story which is why bloggers are far from journalistic quality. But thanks all for those of you who pointed out the other sides out in the comments.
Awesome photos!
Hopefully we will see more these kind of photos in this blo gin the future. It was very nice to get familiar with Ashley Cooper ‘s work so I have to check more of her work.
eeesh. It always makes me cringe seeing these sorts of things….though as the first commenter said…the photographer may not be showing the whole picture. While at present time oil is completely necessary for the world to go on, I can’t help but think a bit more caution might be taken by the companies gathering it to ensure that long term harm to the overall environment doesn’t result from their actions.
You might want to check out the work of Louis Helbig, if you don’t know him already. http://www.beautifuldestruction.ca/
Stunning, damning work.
ps. thank you for bringing this issue to more folks who just don’t know the cost of keep up our current lifestyles.