Oil Sands (2010-ongoing)
Northern Alberta (Canada) is home to some of the world’s largest natural oil deposits. The determination of oil companies to access that resource has led to major environmental damage and colossal economic growth. Environmentalists have called the exploitation of the oil sands “one of the biggest global warming crimes in history”.
And yet, the industry continues to thrive. The region is caught in a Catch-22 situation: Alberta is a one-industry region and with no remotely comparable incomes available anywhere else in Canada thousands of workers and their families have become trapped by the ‘velvet handcuffs’ of employment.
‘Oil Sands’ looks at the way in which both the landscape and the people of Alberta have become the victims of ‘Big Oil’. The photographs are supplemented by in-depth interviews with individuals from a range of perspectives: lawyers, politicians, academics, oil workers and local people, who are asked to answer the question: are the Oil Sands a blessing or a curse? Alan Gignoux’ project includes voices from the frequently marginalized First Nations people, who are particularly affected by the environmental consequences of the mining activities.
