Return to Sender: Prison as Censorship
Curated by Mariame Kaba
Co-organized by PEN America
September 14 - October 28, 2023
Opening Reception: September 14, 6-9 PM
Partner Organizations
Rikers Public Memory Project
The Free Black Women’s Library
Empowerment Avenue
Participants
Ariel Aberg-Riger
Corey Devon Arthur
Danbee Kim
Pablo Mendoza
Hector (Bori) Rodriguez
Kruttika Susarla
Empowerment Avenue Artists: Mark A. Cádiz, Lamavis Comundoiwilla, Jeffrey Allen Isom, Elizabeth Lozano, Sarah Montoya, Mark Stanley-Bey (Stan-Bey)
PEN America Artists: Moira Marquis, Araya Ratanaphruks
PEN America Authors: Kwaneta Harris, Elizabeth Hawes, Zhi Kai, Arthur Longworth, Daniel Pirkel, Derek Trumbo
Rikers Public Memory Project Participants: Medar de la Cruz (Artist), Helen “Skip” Skipper & Edwin Santana (Speakers)
The prison is the frontline war in a society that seeks to censor and control people and ideas. The current wave of censorship in schools and public libraries is an extension of the more highly advanced structures of control that have and are being developed in prisons and jails. The prison has always been a testing ground for perfecting surveillance and creating unfreedom.
Return to Sender is an exhibition that maintains that the prison itself is censorship, which is multifaceted and complex. Therefore, the only way to end prison censorship is to end prisons. This is a call for prison industrial complex (PIC) abolition.
When I conceived this exhibition, I decided to invite other voices to join in its creation. I reached out to several people who generously agreed to contribute and when you visit the exhibition, you will encounter some of their ideas and visions. Those ideas and visions however are in the service of a broader abolitionist politic that is my own. As the curator of Return to Sender, I wanted to tell a specific story based on my experiences and understanding of prisons and jails over the past couple of decades. Informing my analysis is the cultural and intellectual production of currently and formerly incarcerated/criminalized people who have contributed their visual art, writing and guidance. Not every person or organization that worked on Return to Sender and shared their ideas are prison industrial complex (PIC) abolitionists. For example, PEN America has co-organized this exhibit to showcase prison censorship and does not support abolition.
The exhibition features writing and art by incarcerated creators that examine how prisons enact censorship and limit free expression for incarcerated authors, readers and artists.
Welcome to Return to Sender, we look forward to your visit.
Docents will be available every Saturday 12-6 PM for guiding and touring individuals and groups through the exhibition. To schedule a guided group tour, please contact projectspace@efanyc.org
Public Programs:
Opening Reception
Thursday, September 14, 6-9 PM
Join partners and artists for the opening of Return to Sender.
ASL Interpretation Available
In person at EFA Project Space
323 W 39th St, New York, NY 10018
Free and open to the public. RSVP via Eventbrite
RE: Return to Sender: Collaborative Zine Workshop
Saturday, September 23, 1-5 PM
In conjunction with Return to Sender (the exhibit) and Return to Sender (the zine), Return to Sender (the project team) and EFA Robert Blackburn Printmaking Workshop are proud to host RE: Return to Sender: the workshop.
In this workshop, participants will respond to the concept and reality of prison censorship, using the work on display in the exhibit as well as the work contained in the zine to create a collaborative zine to share.
In person at EFA Robert Blackburn Printmaking Workshop
323 W 39th St, New York, NY 10018
Free and open to the public. RSVP via Eventbrite
Virtual Event: Prison Journalism and Censorship
Wednesday, September 27, 4 PM EST
Prison Journalism and Censorship is a conversation between Empowerment Avenue incarcerated writers Christopher Blackwell, Kwanetta Harris, Sara Kielly, and Emily Nonko. Formerly incarcerated abolitionist Jessica Phoenix Sylvia moderates this virtual event.
Online Event
Free and open to the public. RSVP via Eventbrite
Take Action Day at People’s Forum
Saturday, October 7, 12-6:30 PM
Banned Book Week Event
Join us on October 7 as part of Banned Books Week (October 1-7) to discuss prison censorship and to take actions against it.
People’s Forum
320 West 37th Street (between 8th & 9th Avenues)
New York, NY 10018
Free and open to the public. RSVP via Eventbrite
PEN America Report Release
A part of Prison Banned Books Week
Thursday, October 26, 6-9 PM
This report release will feature Die Jim Crow artists who are currently incarcerated including Spoon Jackson, The Masses, Territorial and B Alexis. Producers from Die Jim Crow will discuss the censorship these artists face and Moira Marquis, co-author of the report, will discuss the significant findings.
In person at EFA Project Space
323 W 39th St, New York, NY 10018
Free and open to the public. RSVP via Eventbrite
Curator-led Tours
Friday, October 27, 1-6 PM
Return to Sender curator Mariame Kaba will provide 45-minute tours every hour on the hour throughout the day on Friday, October 27.
In person at EFA Project Space
323 W 39th St, New York, NY 10018
Free and open to the public.
Closing Reception
Saturday, October 28, 4-6 PM
Join partners and artists to mark the end of the exhibition.
In person at EFA Project Space
323 W 39th St, New York, NY 10018
Free and open to the public.
Abolitionist Joy Hours, 4-6 PM
September 16, 2023
Collage, Tea & Chocolate RSVP via Eventbrite
September 30, 2023
Button Making and Hot Chocolate RSVP via Eventbrite
October 14, 2023
Herbalism and High Tea RSVP via Eventbrite
In person at EFA Project Space
323 W 39th St, New York, NY 10018
Free and open to the public.
Accessibility
If you need accommodation due to a disability, contact us at projectspace@efanyc.org or (212) 563 5855 x244. Please contact us at least three weeks in advance to request ASL Interpretation for public programs.
Corey Devon Arthur, Revolution, 2023. Mixed media, 22 x 17 inches.
Hector (Bori) Rodriguez, War Against Censorship, 2023. Colored pencils, #2 pencils, glow-in-the-dark acrylic paint, acrylic varnish, 36 x 36 inches.
Pablo Mendoza, United States of Redaction, 2023. Acrylic on paper, 27 x 34.5 inches (framed)
MATERIALS
Participants and Organizers’ Bios
PRESS
The New York Times, “To the Editor: Censorship in Prisons,” Moira Marquis, Sept. 8 2023
Hyperallergic, “Incarcerated Artists and Authors Shed Light on Prison Censorship,” Sept. 20 2023
All Arts, “What Censorship in Prisons Can Teach Us About Book Banning,” Taylor Michael, Oct. 5 2023
This exhibition was made possible with the support of these organizations:
Exhibition Photography by Nina Poon
From left to right:
Ariel Aberg-Riger, Prison is Censorship, 2023. Two-sided digital illustration, 11 x 17 inches; Kruttika Susarla, US of ▇▇, 2023. Digital illustration, 12 x 15 inches; Danbee Kim, United States of Redacted, 2023. Digital illustration, 12 x 15 inches; Pablo Mendoza, United States of Redaction, 2023. Acrylic on paper, 23 x 30 inches; Corey Devon Arthur, First Amendment, 2023. Mixed media, 22.5 x 28 inches; Corey Devon Arthur, Revolution, 2023. Mixed media, 22 x 17 inches; Hector (Bori) Rodriguez, War Against Censorship, 2023. Colored pencils, #2 pencils, glow-in-the-dark acrylic paint, acrylic varnish, 36 x 36 inches.
Image description: To the left, installation view of takeaway zines and catalogs on shelves on the wall. To the right, various colorful paintings hang on the walls.
From left to right:
Lamavis Comundoiwilla, Portrait of Zhi Kai, 2023, 16 x 13 inches (framed), Empowerment Avenue Artist; Elizabeth Lozano, Portrait of Kwaneta Harris, 2023, 13 x 16 inches (framed), Empowerment Avenue Artist; Mariame Kaba, Censorship in Quarto, 2023. Prison cell installation 6 x 9 feet; Mark A. Cádiz, Portrait of Derek Trumbo, 2023. Pen and ink, 16 x 13 inches (framed) , Empowerment Avenue Artist; Sarah Montoya, Portrait of Elizabeth Hawes, 2023. Pencil on paper, 16 x 13 inches (framed), Empowerment Avenue Artist; Jeffrey Allen Isom, Portrait of Daniel Pirkel, 2023. Oil on handmade canvas, 16 x 13 inches (framed), Empowerment Avenue Artist; Medar de la Cruz , Remembering Rikers, 2023. Ink and acrylic on paper, 28.5 x 22.5 inches each (framed), portrait of Helen “Skip” Skipper Rikers Public Memory Project; Helen “Skip” Skipper & The Rikers Public Memory Project, Interview with Skip, 2023. Audio recording, 03:10 minutes; Edwin Santana & The Rikers Public Memory Project, Interview with Edwin, 2020. Audio recording, 04:01 minutes; Medar De la Cruz, Remembering Rikers, 2023. Ink and acrylic on paper 28.5 x 22.5 inches each (framed), portrait of Edwin Santana Rikers Public Memory Project.
Image description: To the left, framed portraits and text. To the back left, a 6 x 9 feet prison cell demo. The front cell wall is made of black metal prison bars, while the other side of the cell is open. The two walls inside the cell are painted olive green. To the center, three groups of framed portraits and text. To the right, four framed portraits and in the middle an audio installation.
From left to right:
Olaronke Akinmowo, The Free Black Women’s Library, 2023. Biblio-Installation, dimensions variable; PEN America, Model Mailroom, 2023. Installation, dimensions variable; Moira Marquis & Araya Ratanaphruks, Grieved , 2023.Collage, paper on canvas, glue and gold leaf, right: 60 x 48 inches, left: 30 x 30 inches each; Mariame Kaba & Brian Carroll, 99 Books, 2023. Installation (Mariame Kaba), digital Illustration (Mariame Kaba & Brian Carroll), poster (CozCon); Lamavis Comundoiwilla, Portrait of Zhi Kai, 2023, 16 x 13 inches (framed), Empowerment Avenue Artist; Elizabeth Lozano, Portrait of Kwaneta Harris, 2023, 13 x 16 inches (framed), Empowerment Avenue Artist; Mariame Kaba, Censorship in Quarto, 2023. Prison cell installation 6 x 9 feet.
Image description: Installation view of gallery. Featuring furniture arranged into a library, participatory installation of a mock prison mailroom, a four-part collage is made up of copies of denial forms, appeal forms and other prison paperwork that create the bureaucratic barrier to communication, a large banner of 99 library cards, framed portraits and text and a 6 x 9 feet prison cell demo.
Mariame Kaba & Brian Carroll, 99 Books, 2023. Installation (Mariame Kaba), digital Illustration (Mariame Kaba & Brian Carroll), poster (CozCon).
Image description: A large banner of 99 library cards, each with a title of a book, its author, and August 20, 1971, as the books’ due return date.
Olaronke Akinmowo, The Free Black Women’s Library, 2023. Biblio-Installation, dimensions variable.
Image description: Two blue sofas, one beige couch, a glass top coffee table with a red vase and pink flowers, and a red oriental rug are situated nearby a large bookcase with books to read.
From left to right:
Olaronke Akinmowo, The Free Black Women’s Library, 2023. Biblio-Installation, dimensions variable.
PEN America, Model Mailroom, 2023. Installation, dimensions variable.
Moira Marquis & Araya Ratanaphruks, Grieved , 2023. Collage, paper on canvas, glue and gold leaf, right: 60 x 48 inches, left: 30 x 30 inches each.
Image description: Front left, blue couch and small table from library installation. To the back center, a participatory installation of a mock prison mailroom installation. To the right, a four-part collage is made up of copies of denial forms, appeal forms and other prison paperwork that create the bureaucratic barrier to communication.
Event Photography by Human Flower Productions & EFA Project Space
