Prison Policy Initiative research displayed outside of Philadelphia City Hall

Sam Durant's installation "Labyrinth" in Philadelphia uses our research

by Peter Wagner, October 30, 2015

For the month of October, some of our research is hanging in a public art installation about mass incarceration just outside of Philadelphia City Hall. The central element of artist Sam Durant’s installation “Labyrinth”, designed in collaboration with men incarcerated at Graterford State prison, is a large maze made of chain-link fencing.

Within and around the maze are some facts about mass incarceration and the public is invited to leave their comments.

While we often collaborate with artists, that our research was used in this show was a pleasant surprise. We intend our work to be used in new and exciting ways to advance the movement against mass incarceration, and we are thrilled that Sam Durant found a way to do so.

For more on this exhibition, see these two great articles with more pictures of the entire exhibition:

• ‘It is a revolutionary idea that beauty should be available to all’: Sam Durant on ‘Labyrinth,’ his new public artwork in philadelphia about mass incarceration, by Robin Scher in ArtNews
• As the Public Reflect Upon Mass Incarceration, this Maze Becomes More Opaque, More Difficult, by Pete Brook on Prison Photography

And thanks to Patrick Griffin and Angus Love for sending us these photos of our work in action!