5th Annual Prisoner Art Show
On Monday, February 25 from 7:00 to 9:30pm the 5th annual Prisoner Art Show opening will be held at the Big Red Barn on the Cornell Campus. Artwork created by incarcerated individuals throughout the United States will be displayed. This art has been created in a harsh prison environment with limited supplies. Often the prisoners are in solitary confinement, and the art they create is an opportunity for the viewer to get a glimpse into the perseverance of the creative spirit within us all. Prisoners resort to unusual methods in order to produce their work. Sometimes the work is created with nothing more than a scrap of paper and an ink refill cartridge from a ballpoint pen. The art reflects the humanity and drive for self- expression of the participating artists. Many of the artists first take up art as a way to escape the confines of their cell, and find in it a pathway to sanity. We invite everyone to this free event to learn more about the organizations creating this event, Prisoner Express and An Open Window, and to view this unique collection of art work. This event will be co-sponsored by the Big Red Barn Graduate & Professional Student Center.
Prisoner Express is a program of the Durland Alternatives Library. Both Prisoner Express and An Open Window are project partners of the Center for Transformative Action. The mission of Prisoner Express is to provide incarcerated individuals with information, education, and opportunities for creative self expression in a public forum. This year the art collected has been inspired by an educational curriculum,
“Drawing From Life” created by Treacy Zeigler, director of An Open Window. The curriculum was shared with hundreds of Prisoner Express members, and the art show represents work done by prisoners using this distance learning instruction. The artwork at the show will be for sale, and all funds raised will be used for postage, to send educational material and books to the more than 2000 incarcerated members of the Prisoner Express program. Education and meaningful creative involvement are two key aspects to the rehabilitation process. For more information about the event, or to learn more about the Prisoner Express Program visit our website www.prisonerexpress.org<http:/
