Foreboding

Caption

There is a sense of foreboding in this bare prison cell. Heavy shadows loom and an ‘off kilter’ perspective creates an uneasy composition. The drawing has a sculptural dimension as the cropped edges help to convey the feeling of the constricted space of a prison cell. [Statement written by prison education staff informed by conversations with Dylan]

Medium

Pencil on paper

Form

Framed artwork

Artist / Maker

Dylan, HMP Liverpool

Why have we collected this work?

We want to understand what these prisons are like to live and work in, and how has this changed over time. We are examining the ways that these prison buildings carry traces of the past, while operating in the present day.

The project considers how and why these buildings have survived for so long, and asks how we will know when they have reached the end of their operational lives. We consider the significance of the Victorian prison in shaping public and professional ideas of what prison should be like. Crucially, this project explores the implications of the continued operation of Victorian-era prisons for the contemporary prison service, and aims to inform policy development.

Skip to content