feature photo: Larry Cook
On September 12, TILT Institute for the Contemporary Image (TILT) (1400 N. American Street, Philadelphia, PA 19122) unveils Wherever There Is Light, an extraordinary exhibition featuring the photography of four formerly incarcerated artists as they share their experiences within the United States penal system. Through emotional and powerful images, the exhibition explores the profound impact of mass incarceration on individuals, families, and communities. The show is curated by Dr. Melanee C. Harvey and is led by Washington, D.C.-based photographer Larry W. Cook whose work will also be featured in the exhibit. Cook created a smaller version of the project in 2020 at the Los Angeles art gallery, The Canary Test in California. Wherever There Is Light is on display in TILT’s Gallery from September 12 to December 31.
Artists José Díaz, Don “Ike” Jones, Vernon Ray, and Akeil Robertson, all of whom were formerly incarcerated, were selected and given a year to create new bodies of work to be showcased in the exhibit. Through digital photography, portraitures, and vernacular photography, these artists share their personal stories and perspectives of the prison system, offering an intimate and powerful exploration of life within and beyond incarceration. They also explore themes that invite audiences to reflect, connect with others, and envision a fairer world.
“We wanted Wherever There Is Light to be a platform that moved beyond the carceral experience and demonstrate how these artists are engaged in questions around design and how their vision can help us question and work towards a more equitable society,” said curator Melanee Harvey. “The photography allows viewers, especially those with differing life experiences, to see themselves in the community explored and consider how we can move toward a more equitable concept of freedom.”
In Wherever There Is Light, Philadelphia-based activist and multidisciplinary artist Akeil Robertson centered his work around a blue prison uniform. This type of uniform was specifically assigned to be worn by inmates who violated their probation at the County Jail in Philadelphia, where Robertson was incarcerated for 10 years. The pictures of the blue uniform crisply cleaned and stored inside a plastic dry-cleaning bag symbolize Robertson’s deep fear of returning to prison, as he is currently on parole. Robertson’s photographs of the uniform were taken to locations across the country, including South
Carolina and Wisconsin, where a judge granted Robertson permission to travel to. The photos capture not only the deep fears of violating parole but also the harsh reality that individuals are often confined by strict regulations limiting their freedom and choices long after their incarceration has ended.
Photographer and Brooklyn native José Díaz masterfully uses digital collages to weave together portraits of family members and formerly incarcerated friends for the exhibition. By integrating personal elements such as college IDs, licenses, inmate identification cards, elementary school pictures, baby photos, and cherished family snapshots— representing pivotal moments in these individuals’ lives— Díaz’s work challenges society’s methods of documenting people. He highlights how these identification processes often fail to capture the true essence of a person. His collages emphasize that individuals are far more than their past mistakes or former identities; they are humans shaped by a myriad of life experiences.
Philadelphia-based photographer Don O. Jones also served time at Graterford State Correctional Institution, where he discovered his love for photography, capturing inmates and their families from visiting rooms and other portraits. For the exhibition, Jones focused his camera on two friends, whom he met over 30 years ago inside Graterford prison while they were serving life sentences, and a mentor, all of whom have since been released from jail. The photographs present Jones’ friends in their finest attire, captured in the environments of their daily lives and at their workplaces. These images not only showcase their sense of style and dignity but also serve as powerful symbols of redemption. Once labeled too dangerous to ever be released, these individuals now show the possibility of transformation and success after prison. Their stories are a testament to the fact that, with perseverance and hard work, people can rebuild their lives and redefine their futures and that individuals should not be judged solely by their past mistakes.
Philadelphia-based photographer and videographer Vernon Ray created a compelling series of self portraits documenting his journey of finding his way in life following his release from prison. The photographs of Ray convey deep messages as he stands in various locations with his arms wide open and in a mirror holding a chess piece. Each image is a powerful reminder of the principles Ray plans to carry with him as he moves forward in life: to never fear walking alone, to recognize his worth as a king, and to continue rising to the top, no matter how much life tries to hold him back. The chess piece, a recurring symbol in the photos, also represents more than just strategy; it embodies compassion, masculinity, and the ability to view life from every angle. The images reflect the idea that the way people play the game of chess is a mirror of how they live their lives, with each move carefully considered and ingrained with meaning.
Wherever There Is Light series founder Larry W. Cook contributed two bodies of work to the exhibition at TILT, titled “Horizons” and “The Other Side of Landscape.” The work includes and weaves in photos captured from prison visiting room sessions collected over the last decade, which in turn created an archive of vernacular prison photography. In “Horizons,” Cook created stirring photographs where the silhouettes of subjects in different poses are edited to contain natural terrains and urban environments. The silhouettes are set against stark backdrops, further emphasizing the color and textures contained within them.
Wherever There Is Light originally began in 2020 when Cook constructed a studio and exhibition space at Los Angeles art gallery, The Canary Test, for five photographers with carceral experience to share their stories and craft through traditional studio portraiture. The works created and exhibited by the Los Angeles cohort, which featured artists Jonathan Chiu, Adamu Chan, Javier Jimenez, and Eddie Herena, are set to appear in the new exhibition at TILT and will complement a portrait series shaped by the Philadelphia artist fellows. The LA and Philadelphia cohorts are set to attend the exhibition’s opening on September 12, furthering the project’s overall goal of building a community and network of artists.
TILT provided the artists with financial support, resources, and space for each artist to explore their visions in collaboration with Cook and Harvey. Each photographer received an honorarium for their work and access to TILT’s artistic lab, printing services, production support, and gallery space. The group also received assistance from a project team comprising TILT staff, peer mentor artists, community partners, and curatorial experts and advisors.
“TILT’s mission is to support and create space for photographers and image-makers that offers resources, education, professional skill building, networking, and space to engage in socially conscious dialogues,” said Sarah Stolfa, President, CEO, and Artistic Director of TILT. “TILT wants to support projects like Wherever There Is Light and help give a platform to working artists who don’t come from an academically trained space for various societal and financial reasons. Exhibitions like Wherever There Is Light: Philadelphia brings conversation and discourse about the carceral state and how it impacts our communities.”
The exhibition documents the creative processes of the artists featured in Wherever There Is Light: Philadelphia through an illustrated exhibition catalog with essays by exhibition curator Melanee C. Harvey, Ph.D, and featured artist Akeil Robertson. Additionally, TILT will release a documentary that offers in-depth looks at the artists, their respective photography practices, and the work they’ve produced during the residency. The Wherever There Is Light documentary is expected to be released ahead of the exhibition’s opening. Wherever There Is Light: Philadelphia has been supported by The Pew Center for Arts & Heritage
Philadelphia RowHome Magazine's Blog 