ARTLINKS REFLECTIONS
On March 24th, 2021, I hosted a zoom showcase of artwork by incarcerated artists in the Justice Arts Coalition. The following are reflections from the community members who attended the event.
HELENA
"I was taken back. I've known that people behind bars have been able to create amazing works of art, especially with the tattoo culture, but I never knew what tools prisoners have been able to use."
EVA
"This showcase changed the way I thought about art in prisons, because I had never thought of having an art workshop in a prison. Making art while incarcerated had legitimately never crossed my mind before this workshop, and I'm sad it hadn't. This opened my eyes to the oppression of incarcerated people and how limited they are to their artistic needs."
MARIE
"I was really moved by it. I found it especially jarring to see the piece of artwork that showed the bathroom inmates were meant to use. A lot of the art seemed to touch on the underlying dehumanization. By its very nature, artwork humanizes, so an artist depicting his or her own dehumanization is really moving."
ALIYAH
"I was aware of the corruption in mass incarceration due to personal connections but the showcase intensified my frustrations. Also it brought more awareness to programs that assist those incarcerated."
ANDREA
"The collection evokes many different emotions!
Upon returning to this piece after seeing the whole collection, I have an increased belief that this artwork is necessary for humanizing those that are incarcerated."
ANONYMOUS
"I thought the artwork was extremely powerful. Seeing all of the emotions so tangibly -- the frustration, desperation, dejection, as well as the hope, courage, and strength. The piece that was done on the timesheet struck me in particular."
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I was already displeased with the U.S. carceral system, but after seeing this artwork I am even more upset with the conditions incarcerated people are subjected to. Also, the amount of artwork discussing wrongful convictions and corrupt policing clearly proves that the U.S. justice system is far from just.