Canadian National
2002
Image not available — this artwork is under copyright
View on museum website →Medium
inkjet print
Dimensions
image: 64.2 × 81.2 cm (25 1/4 × 31 15/16 in.) sheet: 81.2 × 101.5 cm (31 15/16 × 39 15/16 in.)
Classification
Photograph
Department
CPH
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Gift of J. Patrick and Patricia A. Kennedy
Accession Number
2020.163.61
Art Historical Context
Mark Ruwedel's *Canadian National* (2002) is a striking inkjet print that captures the stark beauty of a railroad line slicing through the landscape, evoking the enduring legacy of North America's rail networks. As a contemporary photographer renowned for his meticulous documentation of human-made marks on the earth—such as abandoned tracks and desert ruins—Ruwedel invites viewers to contemplate themes of transience, exploration, and industrial history. The title nods to the Canadian National Railway one of the continent's vital arteries for trade and migration in the 20th century, transformin...
About the Artist
Mark Ruwedel
Mark Ruwedel, born on June 11, 1954, in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, initially pursued painting, earning a BFA from Kutztown State College in 1978. He transitioned to photography during this time, later obtaining an MFA from Concordia University in Montreal in 1983. Working as a custom printer in Pennsylvania from 1979 to 1980 honed his technical skills before he relocated to Canada, where he taught a...