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Upcoming Events
January 13- March 30 | Hatcher North Lobby Cases, University of Michigan Library
"A Prison, a Prisoner, and a Prison Guard:" An Exploration of Carcerality in the Middle East and North Africa
Join us for a multimedia exploration of the impact of prisons on countries and communities across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region through the lens of “prison art.” The exhibit delves into the dynamic interplay between incarceration and creative expression to make sense of carceral systems.
By presenting prison art from various countries in the MENA region, including Algeria, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Palestine, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen, this exhibit unfolds as a “journey” into the prison system and demonstrates the ways in which art can be a tool of expression and reconciliation for survivors, detainees’ families, and society at large. It promotes drawing parallels between the prison experience in the region and worldwide, highlights the intentionality of carceral systems, and expands the conversation to include prison-impacted communities. Viewers are invited to navigate the cross-generational, human experiences of imprisonment often obscured behind prison walls and within individuals.
Curated by Sumaya Tabbah and Susan Aboeid of The Ḥafathah Collective, this traveling exhibit was organized by U-M Students Organize for Syria (SOS) in partnership with U-M Library.
Thursday, February 6 | Hatcher Gallery Event Space, University of Michigan Library
Art, Justice, and Carcerality: The Role of Creative Expression in the Pursuit of Justice
Join us for a conversation around the exhibition "A Prison, A Prisoner, and A Prison Guard," a multimedia exploration of the impact of prisons on communities across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region through the lens of prison art.
Curators of the exhibit, Sumaya Tabbah and Susan Aboeid, along with artist Marc Nelson, will discuss the role of art in social justice, what it means to be "prison impacted," and the evolving definition of prison art. The discussion will delve into how creative expression can provide insight into the human experiences behind prison walls, promote healing for survivors and their families, and challenge the broader implications of carceral systems in the region and worldwide.
Organized by U-M Students Organize for Syria (SOS) in partnership with U-M Library.