All of you who are well past the growing-up years and settling into slower paces of life would certainly recollect a punishment or two from those childhood /adolescent phases. Homework unfinished, books forgotten, sad performances, and bad conduct — the reasons were varied but simple, and the execution of punishment for these transgressions was even simpler. An imposition of repetitive writing assignments, a knock on the knuckle, a parent’s reprimand, or the humiliation of standing outside the classroom were all a part and parcel of yesteryear existence, before Generations Z and Alpha changed those rules.
In one’s adult years, punishment becomes redundant vocabulary except when one messes with the law. A proof of guilt and a subsequent court verdict could land one within the confines of a cold, dark prison to serve time — the penalty for wrongdoing. The prison then becomes a space for incarceration and an eventual reformation.
Regrettably, police stations and jails have been in the news of late, for all the wrong reasons. Investigations have turned gory, and punishments for alleged crimes sometimes reek of unimaginable violence. In the midst of it all, it is perhaps important to talk of how art can contribute to a positive prison environment.
An art project right in our backyard, for those condemned to serving a sentence in a prison, is the Art in Prisons initiative, a collaboration between Sumanasa Foundation and Project 39A, which aims to allow prisoners to express themselves through art and on their own terms. Launched in 2023 at Chennai’s Puzhal Central Prison, 22 artists collaborated with convicted inmates to create an ‘Art Block’ where incarcerated prisoners were provided a platform to be creative. When the project concluded, the artworks thus created in several mediums were showcased in an exhibition. It not only allowed them to learn visual arts but also fostered the potential for personal growth.
When Htein Lin was arrested for his participation in the 1988 pro-democracy student movement in Myanmar and given a seven-year prison sentence, his long periods of solitary confinement and the torture he had to endure at the hands of the guards made him turn to art to keep his sanity intact. Although painting wasn’t officially allowed, he created around 1,000 paintings using every material he could find. Prison uniforms turned into his canvases while everyday objects like cigarette lighters, soaps, toothpaste tubes, syringes, and his own fingers became his paints and brushes.
Prisoners of War have also shown us another perspective on the experience of war, with their paintings on the walls of barracks. Most of the major wars and conflicts in the world have had their fair share of war prisoners who have sought expression through art to help cope with severe duress. Many of these paintings are now housed in prestigious museums. Their artworks will always serve as a documentation of some of the bleakest periods in history.
Studies have proved that there have been immensely positive changes in behaviour when an inmate participated in any creative pursuit. All is not lost for those condemned by law, for art can rehabilitate even a ruthless soul!