Bangkok VII
Andreas Gursky's *Bangkok VII* presents a sweeping, large-scale view of the murky, debris-laden waters of the Chao Phraya River, capturing the hypnotic flow of organic and industrial waste across the surface. The image transforms the river into an abstract field of texture and color, blurring the boundary between documentary photography and painterly abstraction. Gursky's characteristically detached, aerial perspective invites the viewer to contemplate themes of urbanization, environmental degradation, and the sublime indifference of natural systems.
- Location
- Phillips, Salt Lake City, UT
- Spotted At
- Auction House · PhillipsView on map
🔨 Auction Lot
20th Century & Contemporary Art Day Sale
June 28, 2016
Artists in conversation
Edward Burtynsky
Canadian · b. 1955
Burtynsky creates large format photographs of industrial and environmental degradation from elevated, detached perspectives that transform polluted landscapes into abstracted fields of color and texture, closely mirroring Gursky's approach in Bangkok VII.
Vera Lutter
German · b. 1960
Lutter uses large scale photographic processes to document urban and industrial environments with a painterly, abstract quality, sharing Gursky's interest in blurring the boundary between documentary photography and visual abstraction.
Richard Misrach
American · b. 1949
Misrach photographs vast landscapes marked by human pollution and industrial waste using large format color photography, producing saturated, contemplative images that echo Bangkok VII's themes of environmental degradation and urban impact on natural systems.
Start the Discussion
Request access to join the discussion