Canadian Brian Howell is best known for creating documentary photographs rooted in activism. In his series Chainsaw Rorschach Test, he considers “the complex intersection of climate change and capitalism through a surreal lens of photographs of vintage chainsaws.”
Howell says this series serves as a visual commentary on the environmental impact of unchecked industrial practices and the relentless pursuit of profit. The chainsaw, a symbol of human industry and progress, takes on a paradoxical role as both creator and destroyer.
Howell hopes the vintage machines will make people “reflect on the historical roots of our current environmental predicament.” The Rorschach test is a psychological tool that uses a person’s interpretation of ink blots – a process Howell hopes can be transferred to chainsaws as a way of encouraging introspection about climate responsibility.
The portable chainsaw, a Canadian invention, entered BC’s forest in 1937, reshaping the industry and West Coast forever.
See all the chainsaws at Gallery Jones, Vancouver, here.
Brian Howell’s website, here.
Image at top of post: Chainsaw Rorschach Test #1 (Homelite) 2023, archival inkjet print, Edition of 8. Dimensions for all work available on the website
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I really like the red one.
Also one of my favourites, the colour is almost retro.
Love them.