I recently had the pleasure of meeting Steve Davis. In the near future, will provide a full transcript plus a selection of works from his Captured Youth project.

In the meantime, I’d like to share with you this set of workshop-produced pinhole images by the girls at Remann Hall.

When working with the incarcerated youth of Washington State, Steve Davis used the camera in different ways and to different ends. He conducted his own long-term portrait project concurrently with workshops offered to the detained youth.

At Remann Hall Juvenile Detention Center, Tacoma, Steve and his female students were not allowed to photograph each others faces.

Steve’s solution was portraits of the girls with plaster masks, heads in their hands and similar visual devices. The girls’ solutions involved outstretched hands, evasive gesture, long exposures, and full utility of pinhole photography’s conveniently blurred results.

Escaping (the backdrop of) the Walls

Photography in sites of incarceration often depicts amorphous, vanishing forms within stark cubes; it is usually black & white, and often from peep-hole or serving hatch vantage point. When this vocabulary is used and repeated by photojournalists, visual fatigue follows fast.

Heterogeneous architecture doesn’t help the documentary photographer. Limited and repetitious visual cues make it tough to work in prisons. Not to mention the time and equipment constraints.

Images, shot through doors, by visitors only on cell-wings by special permission, are dislocating and sad indictments of a system that fails the majority of wards in its custody. (Author’s Note: I talk here of juvenile systems generally and not of Remann Hall)

I celebrate all photography shining a light on the inequities of prison life. Having said that, very occasionally – only very occasionally, do I wish a photographer (for his or her sake) had expanded, waited or edited a prison photography project a little longer … but I do wish it.

Photojournalism & documentary photography are, presently, taking a battering from within and being asked some serious reflective questions. I don’t want to accuse photographers of complacency. To the contrary, my complaints are aimed at prison systems that so rarely allow the camera (and/or photographer) to collaborate in daily life with the institution.

Therefore, I have two positions to stake before going on. First, repeated motifs – clichés if you will – have developed in the practice of photography in prisons. Second, prison populations have had little or nothing to do with the creation, continuation or reading of these clichés.

As a general criticism, I would say photographers in prisons struggle to achieve original work and often create visual compositions already seen. But, prisoner-photographers (whose experience differs vastly from custodians, even visitors) cannot be held to that same criticism.

The Difference

These images by the girls at Remann Hall are distinguished from the majority of prison documentary photography, because the inmate is holding the camera. When an inmate repeats a motif it is not a cliché.

These are images of all they’ve got; concrete floors, small recreation boxes, steel bars, plastic mattresses and chrome furniture … all the while lit brightly by fluorescent bulbs and slat windows. These aren’t images taken for art-careerism, journalism or state identification. These are documents of a rarefied moment when, for a while – in the lives of these girls – procedures of the county and state took back seat.

When a member from within a community represents the community, the representation is above certain criteria of criticism.  A prison pinhole photography workshop has very different intentions than any media outlet. Cliche is not a problem here; it is a catalyst.

The simulation and reclamation of visual cliche (in this case the obliterated hunched personality) is doubly interesting. Why the frequent use of the foetal position? Why did the girls choose this vulnerable pose to represent themselves? Was it on advice? Was it mimicry? Was it part of a role they view for themselves? Why don’t they stand? Emotionally, what do they own?

As evinced in some images, one hopes that some of these girls are friends. This selection of shots share a single predominant common denominator; the psychological brutality of cinder block spaces of confinement. Companionship seems like a small mercy in those types of space.

These photographs should knock you off your chair. I am in doleful astonishment.

In the absence of faces, how powerful and essential are hands?

Over the coming weeks, I intend to post single images from this series with quotes made by Steve Davis about his experiences and thoughts on the project.

For now, consider how visual and institutional regimes square up.

UPDATE: 06.04.2009

THESE PHOTOGRAPHS HAVE HAD INCREDIBLE ATTENTION AND GARNERED WIDESPREAD INTEREST. ORIGINALLY, I POSTED THOUGHTS ON THE AESTHETIC JUDGEMENT OF CONTENT BASED UPON ITS AUTHOR. OF COURSE THERE IS MORE TO SAY ABOUT THESE IMAGES NAMELY THE SPECIAL QUALITIES AND RARITY OF THE WORKSHOP AND RECOLLECTIONS OF WORKSHOP STUDENTS.

AS THIS SOURCE STATES;

The Remann Hall project was done as a part of the education department program at the Museum of Glass in partnership with Pierce County Juvenile Court when I was there. It was an incredible project, which culminated in an outdoor installation at the museum and many of the participants coming to volunteer and participate in education programs at the museum after they were released. It was one of the many incredible programs I was lucky enough to be part of there. A book of poetry, artwork (and I think some of the photos in that link) was produced as well. The whole program was a great model for how arts organizations can do meaningful outreach in their communities. Unfortunately, the program was cut one year before the planned completion, due to budget concerns :[

I wonder why the Museum and the program was not mentioned in that post, because those are the images I remember seeing come out as part of the program. I guess the brief mention of “related workshops” are the reference?

IN THE VERY NEAR FUTURE, I HOPE TO DISCUSS WITH SUSAN WARNER, DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION AT THE MUSEUM OF GLASS, TACOMA AND FORMER MANAGER OF THE EXPERIMENTAL GALLERY FOR THE SEATTLE CHILDREN’S MUSEUM & WASHINGTON’S DEPT. OF SOCIAL & HEALTH SERVICES, JUVENILE REHABILITATION ADMINISTRATION. I’D LIKE TO RELAY HER THOUGHTS ON ART AND PHOTOGRAPHY AS TOOLS IN REHABILITATION.

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