About Felicific Calculus
In 2017, when Eric T. Kunsman was relocating his studio to a different part of Rochester, NY, he received comments suggesting the area was dangerous or “unique.” Even some photojournalists, who are expected to be open-minded, reinforced these stereotypes. Observing his new neighborhood, Kunsman noticed certain social indicators that people interpreted as signs of trouble. However, he found that payphones were not markers of crime but rather vital lifelines for some communities.
For example, Detroit removed all payphones, assuming they were used only for criminal purposes. This decision, made without studying the actual use of payphones, reflected a misunderstanding that negatively impacted poorer communities. This drove Kunsman to investigate why people had such perceptions about places they hadn’t even visited. By overlaying census maps with payphone locations in Rochester, he noticed a clear correlation between poverty levels and payphone locations. Rochester, one of the poorest cities in the U.S., has many households earning less than $20,000 annually. The payphones in these areas are used approximately once every four days, demonstrating their importance as a community service rather than a profit-driven initiative by Frontier Communications.
Kunsman’s project “Felicific Calculus” was born from this observation. It challenges the notion that payphones correlate with crime and instead suggests they are indicators of economic hardship. Interestingly, the Neighborhood of the Arts, considered safe due to its social markers like art and storefronts, actually has a higher crime rate than his new studio location, the Josepha neighborhood. Through his exhibition “Felicific Calculus,” Kunsman aims to educate viewers on the payphone locations around Rochester, correlating them with maps of economic status, ethnicity, age, sex, and crime. His goal is to challenge the misperceptions of social markers and highlight the real needs of these communities.
About the Artist
Eric T. Kunsman, born in 1975 in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, is a photographer and book artist based in Rochester, New York. Influenced by the decline of the steel industry and Walker Evans’ work, he studied under mentor Lou Draper. Eric holds multiple degrees, including an MFA from The University of the Arts and several degrees from Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT), where he is now an Assistant Professor. He owns Booksmart Studio, specializing in fine art digital printing. His work has been showcased in over 35 solo and 150 group exhibitions globally and has won numerous awards. Kunsman explores themes like abandoned landscapes and the narratives of forgotten objects, particularly working payphones in Rochester. His projects, including “Felicific Calculus,” have been widely recognized and published, reflecting his deep connection to overlooked aspects of American culture.