The Artistic ‘Touch’: Moving Beyond Carceral Boundaries Through Art by Offenders

Abstract

Highlighting the 2011 Koestler Award ‘Art by Offenders’ Exhibition, Turner demonstrates how prisoners may interact with the world outside of prison, despite their incarceration. Drawing on a range of prisoner artwork, Turner argues that prisoners producing art and ‘outsiders’ interacting with it has a number of important purposes. In the sale of artwork, prisoners contribute to a system of production and economic exchange. Furthermore, as well as generating their own income, the celebration of these pieces through specific awards helps in the self-production of creative individuals legitimised in the arts community and wider society. Finally, Turner draws on literatures of ‘touch’ and hapticality to consider how production and consumption of this artwork may enhance prisoners’ ability to ‘touch’ the world outside of prison.

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