Saudade, 2014
David Burdeny: back to Artist
Artist Statement
“Saudade” is the organizing theme for this work. It is a unique Portuguese word that has no immediate translation in English. A taxi driver introduced me to this concept as I made the 4-hour journey between Jericoacoara and São Luís in northeast Brazil. Roughly stated, it refers to a longing, a melancholy, a desire for what was or what could be – a desire to be someplace anywhere but the present.
“The famous Saudade of the Portuguese is a vague and constant desire for something that does not and probably cannot exist, for something other than the present, a turning towards the past or towards the future; not an active discontent or poignant sadness but an indolent dreaming of wistfulness. ~ In Portugal of 1912, A. F. G. Bel
My photography is discovery-driven and, like many photographers, I have an intense curiosity about the world around me. In this instance, I am photographing the landscape as a sort of dream state, where we float above and wander through its geology with no prescribed destination.
I see each image as a specific essay on place, a survey of terrestrial phenomenon and the traces we as humans leave behind. From the piles of sand infused with sacred significance to the ancient hillsides meticulously terraced from valley to peak, they seem to simply ask, “How do you, as human beings, experience the earth?”
Artist Biography
Vancouver, Canada, based David Burdeny has exhibited with the Jennifer Kostuik Gallery since 2001, showcasing his images from the world over, including Antarctica, Iceland, Brazil, China, Burma, Cambodia, France, Italy, Canada and the USA. Known for his finely composed photographs, David Burdeny has spent the past 20 years exploring a variegated photographic Landscape ranging from minimal seascapes, ornate European interiors to abstract aerial images. Widely collected in Canada, the USA, Asia and Europe, the sheer beauty of David’s images has firmly placed him within the realm of Canada’s most sought after photo-based artists. David’s willingness to take risks, eschew dogma and continuously pursue his innate curiosity for new subjects and themes has become a signature element in his work. Be it mounting a camera beneath a self -built drone, shooting from the deck of an Antarctic bound icebreaker or waiting for an ocean tide to advance, David faithfully imbeds his own formal signature into each and every image further expressing a lifelong passion for the built environment and the camera’s interpretation of it. Distinctly David Burdeny, the photographs are rigorous yet graceful, inviting the viewer to form their own narrative as if they too were passing through space or gazing into the horizon for the very first time.
David Burdeny’s Masters in Architecture and Interior Design background combined with his upbringing in the vast Canadian prairies provides the template for his keen technical ability, enduring patience and minimalist aesthetic. Recently moving from using large format film to now the finest available digital cameras and precision optics, his images are rendered large and detailed. A Bright Future- Photographs of Russian Subways, Theaters and Palaces 2015 received an explosion of media interest, especially in the UK and Russia. Burdeny was in New York City to receive his First Place Award from IPA for Avata Metro Station, St. Petersburg, Russia in the Category of Historic Architecture, and was interviewed for the most recent articles for The Guardian UK and Wired publications amongst several others. In 2012, the Ancora Series of 2010 was exhibited at the Centre for Photographic Art, Carmel CA, Curated by Richard Gadd. Burdeny has won several gold awards in international art photography competitions, most significantly receiving International Photographer of the Year in the Nature category for Canada, revealed at the Lucie Awards Ceremony in New York City, October 2008. His first book Shorelines sold out in both the limited collector edition and trade publication. He has 10 Limited Edition Photographic Series currently offered and is represented by other art dealers in Canada, the USA and Europe. His second hard cover book is A Bright Future, 2015 with text by esteemed writer and translator, Rosamund Bartlett.
Pricing
Loose Print Pricing
21 x 26 inches – $3,300
32 x 40 inches – $6,600
44 x 55 inches – $8,000
59 x 73.5 inches – Price Upon Request
Diptych/Triptychs – Price Upon Request