
Looking At The Work Of United States’ Confined Artists

The United States has the highest number of incarcerated people in the world, with 2.3 million individuals confined in more than 7,000 correctional facilities around the country. Inside these penal institutions, a wide discrepancy can easily be observed which led to several scholars studying this very phenomenon through carceral geography, or a study into the spaces and practices of incarceration.
Nicole R. Fleetwood, a Rutgers University professor, launched an in-depth study of art created by these restricted individuals, relating it not only to the power structures rampant in these institutions but also to the ways that mass incarceration broadly affects culture. She wrote a book entitled Marking Time: Art in the Age of Mass Incarceration and created an accompanying exhibit carrying the same name that was held at the Museum of Modern Art.
The creations of several dozen confined artists were put in the spotlight, highlighting the diverse and creative use of space, time, and materials while inside their cells. Here are some of the artists and descriptions of their works.
Dean Gillespie
Gillespie, who spent 20 long years inside for wrongful convictions before being absolved in 2011, used his wide array of fellow inmates to procure various items like pins and dental compound to build striking diorama-like miniatures. His creations are fine and extremely detailed, using scraps to construct life-like replicas of days and structures gone by.
Jesse Krimes
Using an ingenious method with some hair gel and a spoon, Krimes was able to imprint several advertisements from printed media onto his bedsheets. Aptly named as Apokaluptein 16389067, 39 of these printed bedsheets were then taken out of the institution one by one and made their way to the exhibit, displayed proudly for the world to see.
Gilberto Rivera
Rivera, a leader of the Latin Kings in New York, created striking mixed-media collages. Most notable among his works is An Institutional Nightmare, which was his shredded uniform haphazardly embedded in a paste-like concoction of acrylic paint and floor wax.
Daniel McCarthy Clifford
The Leavenworth Project is a collection of sculptures constructed by Clifford in 2018. Following his release, he went on to finish his graduate studies and created a politically charged art piece made from cafeteria trays.
More inOpen Your Mind
-
`
How To Prepare For A Military Marriage
Going out with some girl-friends, you notice a group of guys wearing what seems to be camouflage uniform. One of them...
May 23, 2023 -
`
10 Books You Must Read To Your Military Baby
Little ones love to be told stories, and what way is better than a good book? Make reading part of their...
May 23, 2023 -
`
Have You Found ‘The One’? Here’s How You Can Ensure That Your Military Relationship Survives the Storm!
Like in every relationship, long-term military couples also require to face all the challenges and stand firm, united, and patient to...
May 23, 2023 -
`
Things You Did Not Know About ‘The Pacific’
When it comes to picking a hit movie, HBO knows how to select the award-winning series. The 2010 is the best...
May 22, 2023 -
`
CLOSE CALL: Harrison Ford Nearly Hit A Passenger Jet
The famous actor was flying his private vintage plane over a passenger jet airline awaiting takeoff at a California airport on...
May 22, 2023 -
`
What Not To Say To A Pregnant Military Wife
Getting pregnant is no joke, especially when your better half is in the military. Aside from the husband, their loved ones,...
May 22, 2023 -
`
Health Trends to Follow to Become Fit
A lot of people are now suffering from various mental health issues and their physical health too isn’t doing any better. However, every new...
May 21, 2023 -
`
A Soldier’s Welcome: How a Family Brought a Crowd of 86,000 to Tears
We have all seen videos of military personnel returning from wars around the world and reuniting with their families at the...
May 21, 2023 -
`
Surprisingly Unknown Facts About Your Favorite Superheroes
The New LegoBatman Movie has just hit the silver screen, and it has made us wonder, do we know anything about...
May 21, 2023
You must be logged in to post a comment Login