David Bartlett photographs the bleak interiors of Eastern State Penitentiary, a notorious, defunct prison compound in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He captures the crumbling decay of the façade, revealing traces of the memories inscribed in the dilapidated spaces.

Bartlett’s empathetic photographs reveal the elemental physicality of his chosen emotionally charged interiors. Skylights let in mocking rays of sun that illuminate the space with supernatural shafts of light, and furniture remnants litter the apocalyptic scenes. Ultimately, Bartlett invites reflection upon the discomforting limitations of the human condition and our innate striving for transcendence.