Le paysage abstrait

* Please note that the exhibition will close exceptionally early on the following dates:
September 13 (last entry at 11 a.m),
September 27, (last entry at 1 p.m),
September 28 (last entry at 3 p.m) and
September 30 (last entry at 4 p.m).

Le paysage abstrait is a new major exhibition from world-renowned Canadian photographer Edward Burtynsky. Curated by Marc Mayer, former Director of the National Gallery of Canada and Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal, the exhibition will feature 30 of Burtynsky’s large-format photographs as well as three high-resolution murals, unique augmented reality (AR) experiences, and a brand new video piece, all of which will echo Burtynsky’s life-long inspirations from the Abstract Expressionism movement.

Le paysage abstrait will be anchored by a special presentation of Burtynsky’s latest multimedia project, In the Wake of Progress, which saw its public world premiere during the Luminato Festival Toronto in Yonge-Dundas Square in June 2022. This 22-minute experience, co-produced by Canadian music legend Bob Ezrin (Pink Floyd, Peter Gabriel, Lou Reed), will envelop audiences upon entering the exhibition. In the Wake of Progress combines the most powerful photographs and film footage of Burtynsky’s career, offering visitors a deeper survey of his 40-year oeuvre. The piece is choreographed to a breathtaking award-winning original score composed by Phil Strong with vocals by Cree Métis artist iskwē.

This new exhibition follows on the trajectory of Burtynsky’s career ethos — the artist having borne witness to the impact of human industry on the natural landscape on a global scale for over four decades — but serves to slow visitors down with the contemplative beauty of some of his most painterly works and the exceptional multi-sensory experience that is In the Wake of Progress. Each of the exhibition’s elements combine to tell the story of human impact on the Earth, urging us to rethink our legacy and seek a more sustainable future.

Le paysage abstrait experience will end on a note of hope, with visitors exiting through a unique space designed to highlight both local and national organizations who are making positive contributions to the areas of sustainability, biodiversity loss, conservation and climate change with various activations and calls-to-action. Visitors will also be able to leave behind a contribution to the exhibition by leaving a message of their own hope for a sustainable future.

This presentation is bullfrog-powered with 100% green electricity. This means that Bullfrog Power’s generators put 100% green electricity onto the grid to match the amount of conventional electricity used to run the exhibition at Arsenal Contemporary Art Montreal, displacing energy from polluting sources. Across Canada, Bullfrog’s green electricity comes from a blend of wind, solar and low-impact hydro power sourced from new Canadian renewable energy facilities. For more information on Bullfrog’s green energy, visit www.bullfrogpower.com

About Edward Burtynsky:

Edward Burtynsky is regarded as one of the world's most accomplished contemporary photographers. His remarkable photographic depictions of global industrial landscapes represent over 40 years of his dedication to bearing witness to the impact of humans on the planet. Burtynsky's photographs are included in the collections of over 80 major museums around the world. Major (touring) exhibitions include: Anthropocene (2018); Water (2013) organized by the New Orleans Museum of Art & Contemporary Art Center, Louisiana; Oil (2009) at the Corcoran Gallery of Art in Washington D.C.; China (2005 five-year tour); and Manufactured Landscapes (2003) at the National Gallery of Canada. Burtynsky’s distinctions include the inaugural TED Prize in 2005, which he shared with Bono and Robert Fischell; in 2006 he was awarded the title of Officer of the Order of Canada; the Governor General’s Awards in Visual and Media Arts; the Outreach Award at the Rencontres d’Arles; the Roloff Beny Book award; and the 2018 Photo London Master of Photography Award. In 2019 he was the recipient of the Arts & Letters Award at the Canadian Association of New York’s annual Maple Leaf Ball and the 2019 Lucie Award for Achievement in Documentary Photography. In 2020 he was awarded a Royal Photographic Society Honorary Fellowship and in 2022 was honoured with the Outstanding Contribution to Photography Award by the World Photography Organization. In 2022, he was inducted into the International Photography Hall of Fame and was named the 2022 recipient for the annual Pollution Probe Award. Most recently he received the 2023 PHotoESPAÑA Award for Professional Career and was awarded with the 25th edition of the Pino Pascali Prize. Burtynsky was also a key production figure in the award-winning documentary trilogy Manufactured Landscapes (dir. Jennifer Baichwal, 2006), Watermark (dir. Baichwal and Burtynsky, 2013), and ANTHROPOCENE: The Human Epoch (dir. Baichwal, Nicholas de Pencier, and Burtynsky, 2018). All three films continue to play in festivals around the world. Burtynsky currently holds eight honorary doctorate degrees.

PRACTICAL INFORMATION:

• The purchase of a ticket includes access to Chimeria, the new display of the Collection Majudia.

• Children 12 and under are admitted at no charge and must have their own ticket. Limited to 3 children per adult.

• Approximative duration of the visit: 60-75 minutes