Art Against the Odds

People in prisons are cut off from their families, their communities, and in some cases their own feelings. Making art in prison — even with very few resources — can be a way to affirm your humanity in a place that is so often dehumanizing. So when the organizers of an exhibit of prison art put out a call for submissions, they were flooded with responses from incarcerated artists working without support, formal programs, or materials. 

In this episode, we meet Joshua Gresl, John Tyson, and Sarah Demerath, three of the more than sixty artists whose work is part of an exhibition called “Art Against the Odds.” We also talk with Deb Brehmer, the co-curator of the exhibit, which opened in January 2023 in Milwaukee and included 250 works by currently or formerly incarcerated individuals. The artworks ranged from a series of concentric circles made daily with pencil on typing paper, to highly detailed portraits, to creatures shaped by hand from scraps of food packaging.  But no matter what materials they were using, each artist told us that these art practices helped them get through their time inside.

Visit the Episode Extras on the Wisconsin Humanities website to see images of Joshua, John, and Sarah's artwork, and to learn more about the exhibit.