Escape Route:
A Multimedia Immersion Into the Hearts and Minds of Incarcerated Youth
This will be the first comprehensive assemblage of the diverse artwork of youth incarcerated in the Cook County Juvenile Detention Center outside of the center. Featured in this show will be publications, recordings, murals, digital images, posters, and ceramics produced by Free Write students.
I developed and helped install this exhibition with Ryan Keesling.
We began discussing a project with Free Write and the Chicago Art Department almost a year prior to this event.
I really appreciated the gravity of hanging an exhibition that the artists are not legally allowed to attend.
I wanted us to find a way to close the feedback loop. I wanted us to be able to have audience members correspond with the creators.
Ryan came up with a post card and video / audio postcard formats that allowed participants to send messages back to the artists .
With the final piece in place we launched the first Free Write Jail Arts Exhibition in November 2010 titled ESCAPE ROUTE.
Between 2010 and 2015 ryan mounted 5 Free Write Jail Arts shows at the Chicago Art Department
