PHOTOVOX DECEMBER 2022

 WHEN PHOTOGRAPHY ACTS AS VISUAL SOCIOLOGY AND INSPIRES ACTIVISM

SPEAKER | Eric T. Kunsman 

WHEN | Wednesday, December 14th, 2022, 6:30 pm

WHERE | Online (via Zoom – link provided in registration email)

COST | Free for CPAC members*; $10 for non-members

*Member discount applied when you checkout for payment

ABOUT | December’s PhotoVox will be held virtually on Zoom with guest speaker Eric T. Kunsman.

Eric will discuss his two projects, Felicific Calculus: Technology as a Social Marker of Race, Class, & Economics in Rochester, NY and Life-Lines Throughout the US, and how what started as a photography project has led him into the realm of visual sociology and activism. He will talk about the basis for his work, which was a reaction to the labeling of the community surrounding his studio by many of his friends and colleagues. Upon learning that people were still utilizing the payphones in Rochester, he decided to collaborate with social scientists and community data researchers. These collaborations allowed the project to move beyond the photographic realm and outside the confines of gallery presentations.

Another topic will be how Eric works with gallery directors and curators to bring a local community collaboration element, which discussions for each exhibition usually look at communities’ social markers and social status.

Finally, Eric will talk about how his photography project has pushed him into activism to ensure his Rochester community has access to communication for those in the lowest economic brackets in the United States.

MEET OUR SPEAKER

Eric T. Kunsman (b. 1975) was born and raised in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. He is an educator at the Rochester Institute of Technology for the Visual Communications Studies Department at the National Technical Institute for the Deaf and the School of Photographic Arts & Sciences. He owns and operates Booksmart Studio, a fine edition printing & book atelier.

Eric has held 40 solo exhibitions and counting. At this point, his work has been exhibited in over 250 galleries and museums and featured in Bloomberg Business Week, Dodho Magazine, Dek Unu, All About Photo, and LensWork.

Eric was named one of 10 B&W photographers to watch of 2018 by BW Gallerist, B&W Best Photographers of the Year 2019 by Dodho Magazine, and won the Association of Photography (UK) Gold Award for Open Series in 2019; LensCulture B&W 2021 & Critics Choice 2022; Top 50 for Critical Mass 2022; Finalist, Top 200 for Critical Mass in 2019, 2020, 2021, & 2022; Top 15 Photographers for the Rust Belt Biennial.

ABOUT PHOTOVOX

PhotoVox is a monthly program offered by the Colorado Photographic Arts Center to help you strengthen your artistic voice with the support of other photographers and artists in the Denver Metro community. Meetings are held monthly at either CPAC’s downtown gallery or virtually on Zoom, and feature discussions led by local arts and community leaders. Three sessions per year are dedicated to portfolio sharing.