Photojournalism nominee

There’s an art to simplicity, and sumo is about as simple a sport can get. To win a match, a fighter must force his opponent out of the ring or get any part of the opponent’s body to touch the ground. There are a few prohibited moves – eye gouging, hitting with closed fists, hair pulling, choking, and grabbing too far inside on the opponent’s mawashi (belt) – but just about anything else goes.

Sumo consists of a deep tradition, with a history spanning over a thousand years. While the match itself is simple, sumo is enveloped in pageantry. From hand clapping to signal to the gods, leg stomping to ward off any bad spirits, and throwing of salt to cleanse the ring, each ceremonial element adds to the spectacle.

Despite the physical nature of the contest, the competitors, the crowd, and the spectacle show that respect forms the foundation for the battles that take place within the ring. Beaten and sometimes bloody after being thrown out of the ring, the wrestlers always conclude their fight with a bow to their opponent, a gesture very much in line with the country’s culture that you see lived out every day.

Eric Kanigan is a Canadian-American photographer and storyteller who is driven to visit remote corners of the globe to highlight commonalities where others might initially perceive differences.

A degree in Biology solidified his affinity for wildlife and the natural world. However, it was a specific focus in ecology that left the largest impression. The core premise that organisms and species are intertwined, no matter how disparate in form and function, inspires much of his work today.

Eric brings his audience with him above and below the surface to bear witness to some of the world’s most striking scenes and beings. He seeks images with the intent to bring them to life as physical prints—a permanence and longevity he creates with the finished piece, but more importantly, wants to observe in the subjects through conservation and action. Through his artwork and writing, Eric ventures beyond a simple image—not to lecture, but to inspire individuals to develop their own thoughts on the environmental, social, and ethical questions that we face today.

He hopes that others might recognize some of themselves in the people and the animals with whom we are fortunate to share our planet.