Mumbai exhibition to showcase works by prison inmates

Sixty inmates from jails across Maharashtra are given free rein with colour to showcase at a city exhibition ART

Canvas by a Nashik jail inmate

Art can be a form of expression when words don't seem enough, or a liberation of thoughts even as the self remains within the confines of a dark cell. Art From Behind Bars, an initiative of the Dagar Pathway Trust, has been promoting the artistic talent of jail inmates from across Maharashtra since 2007.

By a prisoner from Yerwada Prison, Pune

"Through their art, the incarcerated seek forgiveness. Unity and affirmation have more power to change behaviour than shame and punishment," says Kavita Shivdasani, co-curator of an exhibition of the artworks, to be inaugurated today. This year, the organisers decided to involve inmates who had no former training in art. Three workshops were conducted inside the Byculla and Arthur Road jails in Mumbai, and Yerwada Central Prison in Pune, by colour therapists, graphic designers and visualisers. "We encouraged them to let go off fixed forms, and enjoy blending colours, and create abstracts," shares Shivdasani. "We were more than gratified with the pots of gold at the end of the sessions."

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