ALA Annual Conference, 2024
San Francisco Public Library’s Jail & Reentry Services program, Justice Arts Coalition, the American Library Association and the Mellon Foundation collaborated to launch Inside Knowledge, a very special exhibition of works exploring perspectives on information access, all created by artists who are incarcerated. The exhibition launched on 6/27/24 at SFPL’s 3rd Convening of Librarians & Information Workers Who Work with Incarcerated People & People in the Process of Reentry, then moved to the San Diego Convention Center for ALA’s Annual Conference & Exhibition. The artwork was a highlight and conversation starter for conference attendees and several pieces were sold, generating income for the artists. Check out all the artwork from the exhibition below, as well as photos from the events.
We're so grateful to everyone who worked together to make this evocative and inspiring exhibition possible!
“[T]he convening showcased inspiring artwork from [artists in] the Justice Arts Coalition, highlighting the powerful role of art in advocating for and empowering justice-impacted individuals and their families. The experience was both enriching and motivating, reinforcing the importance of community and collaboration in this field.” – convening attendee
I’m Free When I Read, Jebediah Dishman 18photosAgile Imagination, Zack Freeman 18photosCalypso, Sam Anderson 18photosConcrete Crucifix, Obie Weathers 18photosEmancipation-Incarceration, Shaun Wilson 18photosFrom Two Drops: Library Series, Yuri Kadamov 18photosHummingbird (Night Flight) & Blue-J (Just Kickin Back), John Zenc 18photosKnowledge on Hand, Adam Young 18photosLeaving Behind Obscurity, Sean Fox 18photosMaster Class, Harry ‘HEC’ Ellis 18photosPlease Let Me In, Selvyn Tillett 18photosPuppy Pop Puppy Pop Bub, Vince Vader 18photosTree of Knowledge, Brian Hindson 18photosWatch Me See You...See Me, Timothy Weinmeister 18photosLibrary Discards, Sean White 18photosLittle Bird, Chad Merrill 18photosPandemic-Era Prison Library - Path to Freedom, Thomus Manos 18photosEducation is Liberation, Cedar Annenkovna 18photos
Please contact jailandreentryservices@sfpl.org if you would like more information about any of the pieces featured in this exhibit.