Art Exhibit to Explore the Effects of Incarceration

A group of artists who have been directly impacted by incarceration will share their artwork and ideas during a new exhibit set to open Feb. 10 at Ohio State Mansfield’s Pearl Conard Art Gallery.

The exhibit is called “Blood, Sweat, and Tears Too” and features artwork by members of The Returning Artists Guild – a group of artists that includes current and former inmates of the penal system.

The artists use a range of artistic materials and approaches to reflect on loss, time, resilience, care and survival.

A public reception is planned for Feb. 10 from 12:30-1:30 p.m. and the exhibit will remain open through March 13. The reception will include comments by Kate Shannon, associate professor of art at Ohio State Mansfield, and Aimee Wissman, co-founder of the Returning Artists Guild.

“Through their artwork, these individuals explore both individual and societal effects of incarceration,” said Shannon. “This opens a dialog about how existing systems shape lived experience and how they might be reimagined with greater care.”

Wissman said the group is excited to showcase their work in a collegiate setting.

“Our paradigm as a guild is informed by the belief that artists are always at the forefront of social change and our artists are uniquely positioned to imagine what the free future could look like,” she said. “They are the experts in the room when it comes to thoughtful critiques of the carceral state.”

Shannon is Ohio State’s Artist Laureate and said the exhibit is another way for students and the public to encounter a broad range of perspectives and viewpoints.

“People who are currently incarcerated aren’t able to easily share their perspectives, so for the gallery to create space for voices that are sometimes stifled or muted is really impactful,” she said.

A similar exhibit is also on display at The Ohio State University at Newark. The exhibit is made possible by a Spark Grant from the Mellon Foundation and the Ohio Prison Education Exchange Project. 

The reception and the exhibit are free to attend, with no registration requirement. The Pearl Conard Art Gallery is located in Room 156 of Ovalwood Hall, at 1680 University Drive, Mansfield. For more information, Kate Shannon is available at shannon.112@osu.edu