January 16 – March 11, 2022
Since 1986, Louisiana has ranked in the top ten states nationwide for the highest incarceration rates. From 2005-2018, Louisiana ranked first in the nation and the world in holding people captive. Louisiana only lost its title of “Incarceration Capital of the World” to Oklahoma after state reforms enacted in 2017 lowered its incarceration rate. Louisiana still far outpaces the nation, incarcerating 712 people per 100,000 compared to a national average of 450 people per 100,000. Women are one of the fastest growing state prison populations. The incarceration rate nationwide for women has grown 834% over the last 40 years, according to the Prison Policy Initiative. In Louisiana, the incarceration rate for women is significantly higher than the national average. The majority of women in Louisiana are incarcerated for lower-level crimes, such as drug or property offenses. About 80% of women imprisoned are mothers, of which the majority are the sole caregivers for their children. One in 12 children in Louisiana have an incarcerated parent. Women in jails are overwhelmingly survivors of prior abuse: 86% have experienced sexual violence; 77% have experienced partner violence, and 60% have experienced caregiver violence. Nationwide, 60% of women imprisoned did not have full-time employment at the time of their arrest.
Newcomb Art Museum has partnered with formerly incarcerated women, community organizations, stakeholders, and those directly impacted by the prison system to create the exhibition Per(Sister), which is intended to share the stories of currently and formerly incarcerated women in Louisiana, and shine a light on the myriad issues as identified and expressed by the women themselves.
The experiences of incarcerated women are often unknown, overlooked, dismissed, or misunderstood. Per(Sister) presents the personal and intimate stories, in their own voices and in their own terms, of thirty women that persist in their drive for the integral survival of their mind, body, and soul.
Their stories come to life through the pairing of a “persister” and an artist who created a work inspired by her story, other stories take the shape of voice recordings, or handwritten messages, all with the intention of challenging misconceptions and uninformed assumptions. By building awareness of the situations arising before, during and after incarceration, the exhibition Per(Sister) seeks to find common ground and pathways for society to empathetically move forward together.
Per(Sister) examines themes such as the root causes of women’s incarceration, the social impact of long-term incarcerated mothers, the psychological and physical toll of incarceration, and the challenges and opportunities of reentry for formerly incarcerated women.
Syrita Steib and Dolfinette Martin are the museum’s equal partners in the creation and development of this exhibition together with museum director, Monica Ramirez-Montagut, and museum curator, Laura Blereau. Mellon Fellow for Community Engaged Scholarship Megan R. Flattley served as the curatorial research assistant. Further support was provided by Operation Restoration and Women with a Vision. Special thanks to Prof. Andrea Armstrong for assisting in the writing of all exhibition texts and timeline.
Related Events:
Per(Sister) Curator Talk with Monica Ramirez-Montagut
January 29, 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm (View recorded talk by clicking above)
Per(Sister) In Conversation
Melissa Yuen and PerSister co-producers of the exhibition Dolfinette Martin and Syrita Steib
February 9, 3pm (View recorded talk by clicking above)
Collaging Community: Art Making as a Restorative Practice
February 10, 6pm
February 24, 6pm, SUArt Museum
Women’s Incarceration and Prison Reform Priorities
Reception to follow at Syracuse University Art Museum
5:30 pm, Thursday, February 17
214 Slocum Hall (View recorded talk by clicking above)
Artist Talk: Amy Elkins
2:30pm, Tuesday, March 8
View recorded talk by clicking above