A History of Women’s Prisons

About

This is a collaborative project between academic Susy Menis and artists Noriko Hisazumi and Fabiana Vigna. The artwork draws upon historical criminological research on the theme of the reform of the prisoner during nineteenth-century England. It focuses on the emotional tension between the penal aim of reformation and the effects it may have had on the prisoner. The main aim of the project is to problematise imprisonment through visual representation. The artwork exhibition creates a platform for discussion concerning social justice. Set in the evocative and atmospheric Crypt Gallery, it brings to life intangible sensations- the exhibition space becomes a site for reflection. The exhibition has been sponsored by Birkbeck School of Law Research Committee and by Art Council England.