Philadelphia, PA (April 17, 2009) -- Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site welcomes new artists to its growing art installation program and continues to feature many of the visitors' favorite installations. Artists are chosen for their ability to address Eastern State's primary themes - including issues of crime and justice, architectural history, and the site's fascinating past - with a memorable, thought-provoking approach. The new exhibits will be on display beginning April 1 through November.
Eastern State will host a special artist reception on Friday, May 8 from 5:30 - 7:30 pm. This free event will allow guests to see the exhibits and meet some of the artists responsible for the installations.
Mary Jo Bole: Purge Incomplete
This installation details the fascinating history of plumbing at Eastern State Penitentiary, a building that had running water before the White House. Ms. Bole's installation will have sculptural elements in resin, frosted glass, and brass that are recreations of architect John Haviland's original plumbing schematics. The translucent parts will be glowing dimly in the cells. There will also be drawings and detailed accounts from different viewpoints (prisoners, guards and manufacturers) on the plumbing displayed on some of the prison's doors.
Troy Richards: The Criminal Us: Anonymous Confessions Juxtaposed
This installation addresses the differences and similarities between the convicted criminal and those outside the criminal justice system and asks the question, "At what point is an act a crime?" Anonymous written confessions will be presented from both groups without identifying if the confessor was punished for the crime. The viewer is left to guess which crimes resulted in prison terms and which did not. Visitors to the installation may also confess to crimes they have committed -- presumably without consequence -- and their confessions will be incorporated into the work over time.
Susan Hagen: Recollection Tableaux
Linda Brenner: Ghost Cats
William Cromar: GTMO
Alexa Hoyer: I Always Wanted to Go to Paris, France
Johanna Inman & Anna Norton: Living Space
Matthew & Jon Stemler: Juxtaposition
Judith Taylor: my glass house
Eastern State Penitentiary was once the most famous and expensive prison in the world, but stands today in ruin, a haunting world of crumbling cellblocks and empty guard towers. Known for its grand architecture and strict discipline, this was the world's first true "penitentiary," a prison designed to inspire penitence, or true regret, in the hearts of convicts. Its vaulted, sky-lit cells once held many of America's most notorious criminals, including bank robber "Slick Willie" Sutton and Al Capone.
BlueSky
Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site is located at 22nd Street and Fairmount Avenue, just five blocks from the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Admission is $12 for adults, $10 for seniors, and $8 for students and children ages 7-12 (children under the age of 7 cannot be admitted to the site). The penitentiary is open every day, year round. For more information and schedules, please call (215) 236-3300 or visit www.EasternState.org
