Alternative Ways of Seeing

This is the first exhibition of artwork by people-in-custody since the pandemic, curated by artist Eddie Cahill, a former prisoner, and an inspirational figure in the world of prison arts. The work was made in classrooms and cells in fourteen prisons in the Republic, one prison in Northern Ireland and in post-release centres. Cahill visited prisons to meet prisoner artists, and his lived experience of incarceration and the therapeutic power of art to overcome trauma informs his selection.

The exhibition reflects how the absorbing activity of making art changes lives, boosts self-esteem and improves attitudes, leading to a reduction in offending behaviour and reduced recidivism.

Prisoners work independently, with teachers and with visiting artists, producing deeply symbolic drawings, fascinating landscapes, time consuming models, colourful and creative work in ceramics, fabrics, glass, typography, printmaking, leather, stone, metal and wood, and a highlight of the exhibition is a model made of bread.