Cell Block 7 Show

This is from last year's show at Cell Block 7 here in Jackson.

Prison program students’ works featured in Cell Block 7 exhibit

     

The works of students in Jackson College’s Prison Education Initiative art classes will be featured at Cell Block 7 in Jackson starting Wednesday, June 3 and continuing through the fall.

 “Doing Time With the Masters” features artwork and artifacts collected by Assistant Professor Tom McMillen-Oakley during his classes at Parnall Road and Cooper Street facilities this year. Incarcerated students enjoyed reaching beyond their confines through the journey of art history. From historical periods through the modern era, they learned to understand art both for its cultural significance, as well as interpreting their own experiences through new perspectives. For example, a discussion on the Renaissance and the “rebirth” of the world lead to a discussion of how the students were being changed for the better behind bars.

“I hope the community enjoys viewing the art works as much as I enjoyed teaching these amazing students,” McMillen-Oakley said.

Jackson College’s Prison Education Initiative offers inmates the opportunity to earn college credits through self-pay, or with assistance from a Pathways from Prison to Postsecondary Education grant from the Vera Institute of Justice.

Learn more about the Cell Block 7 exhibit, by visiting www.cellblock7.org.