Paintings in a cell
By Judy Evans
@JudyEv (325654)
Rockingham, Australia
May 16, 2022 8:23pm CST
When we visited the old Fremantle Gaol yesterday, we were able to view some of the cells. When the jail was first built, the cells were very small indeed but later two were made into one, giving prisoners a bit more room. Several cells had been decorated with paintings although this wasn’t generally allowed. Over one period, painting was seen as therapeutic for prisoners.
The two paintings on the left and the top right painting were all in the one cell and the artist was obviously quite talented. Under the painting of the ship in full sail, is a rather stark painting – maybe a self portrait – of a man on the floor of a cell. The painting on the lower left was in a separate cell but again, of a high quality.
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14 responses
@allen0187 (58443)
• Philippines
17 May 22
I can see how painting can be therapeutic.
Great paintings over-all.
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@allen0187 (58443)
• Philippines
18 May 22
@JudyEv I wonder if the paintings were offered for sale or if the inmates had the option to keep their paintings when they got out of prison.
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@JudyEv (325654)
• Rockingham, Australia
18 May 22
@allen0187 These were on the wall so they have just stayed there. I think some have been reproduced and can be bought.
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@LindaOHio (155969)
• United States
17 May 22
The inmates were definitely very talented. I can see how painting would be therapeutic.
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@JudyEv (325654)
• Rockingham, Australia
19 May 22
@LindaOHio I found a few sites with the gaol art but nothing that mentioned any names.
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@LindaOHio (155969)
• United States
18 May 22
@JudyEv Maybe you could research it.
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@Marilynda1225 (79678)
• United States
18 May 22
Those paintings do have a lot of artistic talent in them. What a waste of that talent to be on the wall of a prison cell but I'm sure it gave the prisoner something to enjoy while in that small cell.
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@Marilynda1225 (79678)
• United States
19 May 22
@JudyEv just the experience you had visiting there is amazing. So many things in this world we know nothing about
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@snowy22315 (169897)
• United States
17 May 22
They were super talented. American prisons need to encourage that kind of creativity instead of letting prisoners rot. They do have some groups and programs but nothing artistic like that to the best of my knowledge.
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@JudyEv (325654)
• Rockingham, Australia
18 May 22
These paintings were done years ago but I know what you're saying. Our prisons seem to be overcrowded. There was a riot and fire in one not long ago.
