From Dark to Light Art Exhibition
In the Beyond the Stone Walls Advisory Collective (BSWAC), we have important conversations about our criminal justice system and the way it impacts the lives of individuals, families, and the wider community. We also talk about how we can make changes and improve the system. The conversations that we have are so inspiring and impactful because of the stories shared by the members of our group who have lived experience of the system.
We wanted to share some of the experiences of being incarcerated and reintegrating back into the community post-incarceration with the wider community, many of whom don’t get to hear these stories. We hope that through learning about these experiences people may consider different perspectives and may come to see criminal justice issues as complex rather than black and white. We thought that art would be a powerful and emotive way to communicate to a wider audience, and began planning an art exhibition that would encourage viewers to leave with new ideas, new questions, and a curiosity to learn more.
We wanted to share some of the experiences of being incarcerated and reintegrating back into the community post-incarceration with the wider community, many of whom don’t get to hear these stories. We hope that through learning about these experiences people may consider different perspectives and may come to see criminal justice issues as complex rather than black and white. We thought that art would be a powerful and emotive way to communicate to a wider audience, and began planning an art exhibition that would encourage viewers to leave with new ideas, new questions, and a curiosity to learn more.
The exhibition is called From Dark to Light, and is about hope, connection, and growth. It explores how we can grow from darker moments in our life to find light and hope, and how we can connect with our community to create change.
In preparation for this exhibition, we engaged with artists to learn different skills, including clay sculpture, mandala drawing, painting, and photography. Many of the members of BSWAC hadn’t had much experience with art prior to this project. We have come together to learn new things and challenge ourselves, and we have found different ways for us to connect and share our experiences and ideas. Doing regular art workshops has been a wonderful way to connect with other community members, and to come together to share ideas and work towards a larger project together.
The art project has been entirely run by volunteers, and it wouldn’t have been possible without the community’s help through donating art supplies and showing us their support for this project. We also couldn’t have done this project without Unassigned Gallery who have supported us throughout the process, and who have hosted our art classes and exhibitions.
The art project has been entirely run by volunteers, and it wouldn’t have been possible without the community’s help through donating art supplies and showing us their support for this project. We also couldn’t have done this project without Unassigned Gallery who have supported us throughout the process, and who have hosted our art classes and exhibitions.