Art and Design

Note
Through painting, photography, and time-based media, Diane Burko explores the impact that humans have on the environment.
Her earlier work focused on geology and topographical landscapes, often featuring waterways and coastlines. South of M.C. (Lot 1), for example, was painted in 1986 and depicts the rolling tide along the coast of Mendocino, California. Etretat (Lot 2), painted three years later, is part of a series Burko painted on the Normandy coast in France.

Burko has since begun to examine the effects of industrial and colonial activities on such landscapes. Her goal is to create a visual connection between subjects such as extraction, deforestation, and environmental justice, thereby urging viewers to acknowledge the interconnectedness of these issues. Despite addressing the climate catastrophe, her work also celebrates the beauty and complexity of the landscape, highlighting the political and geological elements that shape our environment.