One thing that's consistent in all of my work is that these aren't accidents; they're all conscious landscapes. They're all things that we're doing and that we have done through our legal and social systems and structures of capitalism.

In this quote, Edward Burtynsky reflects on the themes present in his work, particularly his photographic representations of landscapes. He emphasizes that the landscapes he captures are not accidents, but rather the result of deliberate actions influenced by legal, social, and capitalist systems. Burtynsky is making the point that the environments we see in his photographs—often marked by industrialization, resource extraction, and human intervention—are the consequences of conscious decisions and societal structures.

Burtynsky’s mention of conscious landscapes suggests that the changes we see in the natural world are the direct result of human choices, especially those driven by capitalism and the systems that support it. He implies that the exploitation of natural resources, the degradation of the environment, and the construction of industrial sites are not just random occurrences but are built into the very framework of modern society and its economic systems.

By acknowledging the role of legal and social systems, Burtynsky connects his work to broader societal issues. He is pointing out that these landscapes reflect not just individual or localized actions, but systemic issues that have been ingrained into our societal structure. The effects of capitalism—such as environmental degradation and resource depletion—are not incidental but are integral to how our world operates and how we shape our environments.

Ultimately, Burtynsky’s statement is a call to recognize the responsibility we all share in the creation of these landscapes. He urges us to acknowledge the social, legal, and economic systems that shape our world and how they contribute to the environmental and industrial landscapes we encounter. His work challenges viewers to reflect on the human impact on nature and to consider how these systems have shaped the world we live in.