The 30th annual Exhibition of Artists in Michigan Prisons, a globally recognized event, is back with new insights into the incarceration experience in Michigan. Running until March 31, this prominent prison art exhibition showcases 872 pieces by 613 incarcerated artists from 26 Michigan prisons, spotlighting the diverse artistic expressions within the prison system.
Featuring an array of styles like paintings, portraits, tattoo art, landscapes, sculptures, fiber arts, and creations using found materials, the exhibition highlights the unique challenges faced by incarcerated artists. Volunteer teams, including students, select these artworks each fall by visiting every prison in the state.
Celebrating its 30th year, the Prison Creative Arts Project (PCAP) has appointed Omari Booker, a former incarcerated artist, as its first curatorial resident. As a visual artist and social justice advocate, Booker collaborated with Michigan’s incarcerated artists, curating a narrative that reflects their stories. He will present his personal practice and experiences on the curation team on March 18.
“As the resident curator, I highlighted the creativity, consistency, and process that PCAP artists exemplified,” Booker stated. “The artwork is a strong addition to the contemporary creative landscape. Adverse circumstances do not define or separate their work from that of their contemporaries.”
PCAP will also host a new art/music concert on March 19 in Stamps Auditorium. University of Michigan students in the composition department have written music in response to the artwork. Composer Matthew Osterholzer said, “Value is what we decide,” a phrase coined by artist Sarah Mora, inspired his music for the concert.
Osterholzer remarked that Mora’s work reimagines broken objects, celebrating their inherent beauty. “Even under institutions that deny the value of these objects, her work insists that value is what we decide,” he expressed.
The exhibition is held at the Duderstadt Gallery, with a digital version available on PCAP’s website. For more information, visit the Prison Creative Arts Project.
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