Teaching Global Perspectives
on the Environment through
Contemporary Art:
Bangladesh Shipyard Photographs by
Burtynsky
BANGLADESH
at a glance
Population total (2012) 155,000,000
Literacy rate (7 years and above) 51.8%
Average monthly income per capita $83.33
http://www.changebangladesh.com/gallery
http://www.vbmap.org/asia-maps-7/south-asia-political-map-91/
http://www.bdwebguide.com/map.htm
Facts about the shipbreaking
yards of Bangladesh
• The beaches of Chittagong , Bangladesh, are a massive junk yard
for old ships and tankers. This is the one of the biggest ship
breaking yard in the world!
Facts about the Shipbreaking Yard of Bangladesh
• In one year, as many as 25,000 poorly dressed
employees with no protective gear, break down 250
ships for scrap steel, cables, generators, nuts and
bolts.
Facts about the Shipbreaking Yard of Bangladesh
• The ground is filled
with heavy metals,
investigations have
shown, and the
vegetation on the
beach that once
protected the low
land from floods is
long gone.
Facts about the Shipbreaking Yard of Bangladesh
• Bangladesh is the port of choice for two reasons:
1.) The labor is cheap. Workers, many of whom are children,
earn about four dollars a day pulling apart the hulls by hand.
Facts about the Shipbreaking Yard of Bangladesh
2.) Safety standards are poor ,
often with little to no safety
equipment. The workers inhale
noxious fumes and are
vulnerable to electrocution,
falling debris, and explosions
fueled by residual oil. Fifteen
ship breakers died in 2012,
mainly from falling, getting
caught in fires, or being
crushed.
Meet the Photographer
Who is Edward Burtynsky?
Edward Burtynsky, a native of St. Catherines,
Ontario, has become internationally well
known for his documentation of industrial sites
all over the world.
When he was eleven years old, Burtynsky saw
an ad in the newspaper for some used photo
equipment being sold by an elderly widow. He
bought it all for 25 dollars and began by setting
up a darkroom in his parents’ basement.
Burtynsky received a B.A. in Photography and
Media studies from Ryerson Polytechnic Institute
in Toronto.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Ed_Burtynsky_(38148537).jpg
Lesson
Suggestions
 Pick one photograph from the
following shots of the Chittagong
shipbreaking yard taken by Edward
Burtynsky. Ask the students the
following questions:
 What was the first thing you
noticed?
 What emotions do you feel when
looking at the photo?
 What do you think the
photographer was trying to say in
this photo?
 What more do you want to
know?
 Write a short paragraph explaining what attracted you to that particular
photo including the following.
 How can this photo be
connected to subjects such
as social studies, science and
art?
 What have you learned by
viewing this photo?
 Can you suggest a possible
solution to this
environmental and worksafety hazard?
Edward Burtynsky
makes a wish: that his
images –– stunning
landscapes that
document humanity's
impact on the world ––
help persuade millions
to join a global
conversation on
sustainability.
http://www.ted.com/speakers/edward_burtynsky.html
Homework Assignment
Take a walk around your neighborhood, your home, or a public space. Take a photograph, or
find a photo, which you think will stimulate conversation. What do you see? Is the use of color
and light influential? What about the images and their form? How do they affect you?
http://www.shipbreakingbd.info/
http://www2.oakland.edu/shatteringearth/iconography.cfm
http://www.edwardburtynsky.com/
http://www.slate.com/blogs/atlas_obscura/2013/10/02/dirty_dangerous_and_deadly_t
he_shipbreaking_yards_of_bangladesh.html
http://www.edwardburtynsky.com/site_contents/Photographs/Water.html
http://www.ted.com/talks/edward_burtynsky_on_manufactured_landscapes.html