Edward Burtynsky's Pentimento exhibition features black-and-white Polaroids from Bangladesh ship-breaking series.

The exhibition 'Pentimento' by Edward Burtynsky took place at Hasted Hunt Kraeutler gallery, located at 537 West 24th Street in New York City, from September 9 to October 16, 2010. This showcase included black-and-white Polaroid prints from his series on ship-breaking in Bangladesh, marking a shift from his usual vibrant, color-rich style. The images featured imperfections and marks that highlighted randomness, contrasting sharply with his typical polished aesthetic. Burtynsky’s extensive photographic work often explores landscapes transformed by human activity, such as quarries and oil fields, using striking lighting and expansive aerial views to depict environmental harm. Additionally, photographs of the Gulf Oil Spill were exhibited in the gallery office, furthering his theme of capturing beauty in catastrophe. His studio generates substantial income through various exhibitions each year, with funds from the Pentimento series supporting a photography gallery's acquisitions budget in Toronto. Critics have noted that Burtynsky’s images may provide a superficial understanding of intricate environmental challenges, lacking deeper ethical or conceptual inquiries.