Fine Art nominee

In 2003, one of my University of Arts professors, Heidi Kyle, introduced us to the American Philosophical Society's conservation lab. Almost as soon as we entered the conservation lab, I noticed three books titled 'Eastern State Warden's Logbook: I opened it idly. The Warden's entries brought the Penitentiary to life for me.

While my photographs from the earlier visit captured a lot of the physical presence and feeling of the Penitentiary, it was the writings that started to, literally, flesh out the functional and human effects of this altruistic, but ultimately disastrous, Quaker experiment with reforming criminals. The body of work created demonstrates a previous attempt at prison reform from the popular European model in the 1800's. The images help viewers to understand how many things have not changed over the passing of time whether that relates to the crimes the prisoners committed or the conditions they face during incarceration.

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.