Edward Burtynsky: Water

From modern aquaculture to world heritage irrigation systems, Edward Burtynsky's lyrical photographs shine light on the systems providing us with aquatic sustenance

There is no life without water. Canadian photographer Edward Burtynsky's (born 1955) Water, a redesigned edition of the out-of-print original photobook from 2013, tells the story of where that vital resource comes from, how we use it, distribute and waste it. Often taken from a bird's-eye perspective, Burtynsky's images show us water's remote sources, remarkable ancient stepwells and mass bathing rituals, the transformation of deserts into cities with waterfronts on each doorstep and the compromised landscapes of the American Southwest. Burtynsky also returns to his favorite places to explore water management: from the massive hydroelectric dams in the heart of China to the vast irrigation systems of America's breadbasket. His photographs remain both lyrical and relevant: they reveal a necessary component of our life on earth that drives civilization and foreshadows the extent to which our future depends on our everyday interaction with this increasingly scarce resource.