Architecture nominee

From the series- PRIVATE | Now Back Go: Go Back | PRIVATE

Being a business owner in Upstate New York, I have developed a whimsical view of the daily environment surrounding me. We often tend to think that all technology advances us as a society/culture, but often we instantly forget about what has gotten us to the point we are at, as a society and within our lives. In regards to technology, the idea that we are taking one step forward is often leading us to take one step back as a society. Whether that is by monitoring everything that happens in an environment or having the location become abandoned, we are losing our identity.

Our society has become one where we are always building new infrastructure, buildings, technology, and advances while just allowing the used/old objects to be forgotten about or ignored. All the while, we feel like we must micromanage every aspect of our lives utilizing technology and nothing is private. The only time things are private is if it is above one's pay grade. My images often have a subtle play on whether technology or other societal issues impact the environment one is viewing in my photographs.

Eric T. Kunsman (b. 1975) was born and raised in Bethlehem, PA he was heavily influenced by the death of the steel industry and its place in American history during his high school years. The exposure to the work of Walker Evans during this time is what hooked Eric onto photography when he was planning on a career in fine arts. Eric had the privilege to study under Lou Draper who became Eric’s most formative mentor. He credits Lou with influencing Eric’s approach as an educator, photographer, and contributing human being.

Currently, is a working photographer and book artist based out of Rochester, New York. Eric is a Lecturer for the Visual Communications Studies Department in the National Technical Institute for the Deaf and also teaches for the School of Photographic Arts & Sciences both of which are part of the Rochester Institute of Technology.

He has taught workshops and lectured on digital printing & digital workflow processes Internationally and continues to teach seminars on a regular basis. Eric holds his MFA in Book Arts/Printmaking from The University of the Arts in Philadelphia.