Window Into Solitary

I am so grateful for the opportunity to work on Windows Into Solitary. I witnessed and learned about the deep solidarity between survivors of solitary confinement—between those who are now home and those who are still incarcerated.

I think about the courage and resilience of the survivors I met on this project who continue to process the dehumanizing impacts of solitary confinement. Once home, they face incredible challenges to rebuild their lives.

Nevertheless, they continue to dedicate tremendous energy organizing to end this cruel practice. It’s important for us ‘free’ people to realize that there are critical networks and organizations in each of our communities that we can support in the movement to end solitary confinement.

Lori Waselchuk

Lori Waselchuk is a photographer, filmmaker, curator, and socially engaged artist. Her artistic practice is rooted in community, the possibilities, the tensions and challenges of working together for a common idea or good.

Past collaborative projects include Grace Before Dying, about a hospice program in the Louisiana State Penitentiary, where both the caregivers and the patients are serving long-term prison sentences.

Lori is also a curator and coordinator of numerous exhibition projects including the Women’s Mobile Museum, co-created with Zanele Muholi, and produced by TILT Institute for the Contemporary Image. Lori is the recipient of Leeway Foundation’s Media Artist & Activist Residency and the Transformation Award, Velocity Fund Grant, Pew Fellowship for the Arts, Aaron Siskind Foundation’s Individual Photographer, and the Southern African Gender and Media Award. Her projects have been exhibited in Africa, South America, North America and Europe and her work is published widely in books and publications.

Lori is currently the curator-in-residence at the Writers Room in Philadelphia and the director/producer of the upcoming film series, Abolition Conversations.

Window Into Solitary

“Window into Solitary” is a photography exhibition with the goal to educate and activate the public about the profound impact and harrowing consequences of the widespread use of solitary confinement in American prisons.

The exhibit focuses on 17 formerly incarcerated people from across the U.S. who have spent extensive amounts of time in solitary. In addition to powerful photographic images, the exhibit includes written testimony by the participants about their experiences in solitary confinement and their thoughts about its widespread use across the U.S. carceral system.

Produced by

Look2Justice
www.look2justice.com

Social Documentary Network
www.socialdocumentary.net