Wistariahurst Museum, Exhibit

Wistariahurst welcomes an exhibit of artwork and writing by incarcerated artists critiquing the US Justice System. Prison Reimagined features a series of portraits of U.S. presidents and writing pieces that touch on peoples ‘experiences within the prison system.

The project was organized by Curator and Artistic Director, Cadell “Monty” Kivett from inside a correctional facility in North Carolina. About the project’s inception, Cadell states, “…I had an improbable idea: Let’s have incarcerated artists draw portraits of our presidents, then invite those subjects to see what we had drawn. This, I knew, if staged in proper context would make for powerful commentary on mass incarceration and criminal punishment in America.” Since the project’s inception in 2021, Prison Reimagined has grown to an exhibition featuring 23 written and 23 visual works. As the project expanded, Project Manager Janie Ritter and Outreach Coordinator Haley Bryant joined the team, helping push it forward.

The exhibition has traveled to several locations, and Wistariahurst is proud to be the next venue to showcase Prison Reimagined. The exhibit will be on view in Wistariahurst’s Great Hall, expanding the area of the museum where art installations are shown, and serving as the first installation visitors will see when they enter.