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Standing on the Edge

Regional Exhibition Curation Project

Posted on the

Earlier this year, our Outreach team headed down South to meet with a group of learners from HMP Isle of Wight, as part of our 2023/24 regional exhibition co-curation project. Charis, our Arts & Outreach Officer, fills us in on the success of the project, from curation to the post-exhibition creative responses.

Curation
“We ask different individuals or groups to curate each of our exhibitions and for our 2023 exhibition at John Hansard Gallery, Southampton, we asked learners at HM Prison Isle of Wight. The Education Department assembled a group of 10 men who had been engaged in art classes there, to work with myself and Sarah Matheve, Koestler’s Director of Outreach, over the course of a week in July.

We discussed with the group what it means to curate an exhibition, the various aspects to consider, and elements they’d have to decide on – the works to be included and how they’d be organised, and the exhibition themes and title. We then showed them music, poetry and visual artwork entered into the 2023 Koestler Awards from the South West and Hampshire region – the works that were eligible for inclusion in this exhibition – and handed over to them to make their selection.

They took the responsibility of curating really seriously, and expressed their guilt that not everything could be included. They were eager to ensure all establishments in the region were represented, and listened carefully to each other’s reasons for wanting to include particular works.

‘Being given such a responsibility within an environment like the prison system is extremely positive. The sense of worth has gone a long way in providing a little respite to my mental health.’ – Exhibition co-curator

Exhibition
Around 80 works were chosen for display in the exhibition. These works are diverse in their themes, but broadly evoke memories and hopes for the future; relating to life before, after, and outside of prison.

The curating group were keen that the exhibited artworks be appreciated on their own merits, and for the criminal justice context to come afterwards. It was still important to them to show the everyday reality of life in prison, however, so a smaller space adjoining the main gallery features works relating to the difficulties faced by those in secure settings – poor mental health, public perceptions of prisoners, IPP sentences.

‘I hope the visitors will see that despite being in custody, a children’s home, refuge, or secure setting, we all have feelings and are actually talented, we have a story to tell, or that this is how we show that’s important to us. I hope they see the good in us and not just the bad.’ – Exhibition co-curator

The exhibition title was taken from one of the exhibited artworks. ‘Standing on the Edge’ resonated with curators and exhibited artists on various levels – the exhibited works were made in the South West and Hampshire and exhibition curated on the Isle of Wight, some in secure settings feel confined to the edge of society, and it can evoke precarity, opportunity for change, despair, the bravery to step forwards, and being kept from going over an edge by the positive things in life.

‘’Standing on the Edge’ conjures thoughts of danger but it also could be a new beginning – the edge of a relationship, a new life, a return home or freedom.’ – Exhibited artist

10 differently decorated seagull sculptures are dotted around the gallery. Seagulls surround HM Prison Isle of Wight and provided a lot of background noise to our curation sessions, so we hope this brings something of the curation sessions into the gallery so that the voices of the curators are present. 

Creative Response
So as to extend the involvement of learners at HM Prison Isle of Wight, a wider group were invited to produce creative responses to the poetry in the exhibition once the selection had been made. We have been delighted by the response to this, with more than 20 learners sending beautiful and striking works inspired thoughtfully by the poetry in Standing on the Edge, bringing the exhibition full circle back to the prison where it was curated.

We’ve been proud to showcase these works on our website and social media, and they will be entered into the 2024 Koestler Awards. You can view the full selection in our Exhibition online gallery!”

– Charis Dishman, Arts and Outreach Officer