Projects with detainees + book presentation 'Prison Drawings'

Talkshow

The exhibition 'The Collection (1), Highlights for a Future' is the occasion for a series of talks on the rapidly changing role of museums within communities. Where museums used to work mainly from an art-historical perspective, the focus is now shifting to social relevance and the role the public plays in this. This talk show focuses on projects with inmates. Indeed, since 2015, S.M.A.K. has been organising workshops in prison in collaboration with SKI and The Red Anthracite. The results of these workshops are currently on display in the S.M.A.K. Moves Pavilion during the exhibition The Borderline Books.

Book presentation Prison Drawings

In recent years, small groups of students from the Secondary Art Institute (SKI) together with some of their teachers visited the prison in Ghent. The inmates were invited to draw in books together. The starting point of the project was to bring detainees from Ghent prison and students from SKI into contact with each other while drawing. The medium for this dialogue was 25 empty sketchbooks.

In cooperation with publisher Hannibal, a selection of the drawings was compiled in the book 'Prison Drawings'. The book shows a huge diversity of impressions, impulses, styles and themes. It is also the impressive result of the thirty-two workshops organised, in which a total of almost five hundred people participated in drawing.

About sixteen people participated in each workshop. The request to the illustrators was to respond to each other's drawings. In this way, the books created a visual exchange between the participants; a colourful dialogue in drawings. One half of the books remained in the prison library between workshops so that inmates who were interested in them could continue drawing in their cells. The other half of the books went back to the school.

Practical:

• Thursday 6 June 2019 - 20:00.
• Book via reservation@smak.be

With drawings by Bram Van Meervelde, Tom Polo, Jean-Marie Bytebier, Wouter Feyaerts, Ilse Roman, Julia Samsonova, Erik Reynaerts, Sam Vanderveke, Ignace Van Ingelgom, Sacha Eckes, Marnix Everaert, Marnix De Bruyne, Frederik Heyman, Rudolf De Greef, Winnie Bauwens, Hidde van Schie, Luc Dondeyne, Werner Mannaers, Ronny Delrue, Koen Deschuyter, Ruben De Somer, Martha Verschaffel, Joris Thys, Bert Joostens, Wouter Viaene, Sofie Vandaele, Samira El Khadraoui, Saar De Buysere, Gerben Gysels, Milosz De Dijn, Jolien Van der Meeren, Robbert Van Wynendaele, Mert Sen, Kristof Van Heeschvelde, Nicoline van Stapele & William Philips, pupils of the Secundair Kunstinstituut and detainees of Ghent prison.

This book is a collaboration between S.M.A.K., Ghent prison, De Rode Antraciet and the Secundary Art Institute SKI.

More on the S.M.A.K. Moves talkshows

In seven talk shows, Katleen Vermeulen (Amarant) receives various partners of the S.M.A.K. exercise programme, educational and guide operation. Among other things, they will discuss the structural operation of S.M.A.K. around projects with detainees, refugees, people with dementia, young people and children. The talk shows start at 16:00. With the exception of the talk show 'Prison Drawings' during the nocturne on Thursday 6 June at 20:00.