LOCKED / LABELED is a potent project that brings to light the untold stories of Pike County’s juvenile detention system. The project unfolds the narratives of individuals who, as children, were confined within its walls. Today, as adults, they share their stories through film and photography, revisiting the spaces that once defined their lives. This project is supported through a Community Impact Grant from the Community Foundation for Mississippi and funding from the Mississippi Humanities Council.
PROJECT DETAILS
Pike School of Art — Mississippi (PSA-MS) is repurposing the former Pike County Juvenile Detention Center into an art center. Before the conversion, PSA-MS will present LOCKED / LABELED, a potent and revealing project that brings to light the untold stories of Pike County’s juvenile detention system.
LOCKED / LABELED delves into the dual challenges formerly detained youth faced: the physical imprisonment (locked) and the societal stigma and stereotypes that came with it (labeled). Visitors are invited into the realities of this system, promoting critical reflection and challenging preconceptions.
The project, constructed around the compelling narratives of formerly detained youth, encourages viewers to traverse their pasts, deepening understanding of their experiences. Comprising film interviews and photographic portraits, it encapsulates their multifaceted narratives.
The project delves into the multitude of experiences, emotions, and realities these individuals faced during their time in Pike County’s juvenile detention system. It stands as a testament to their resilience, strength, and confrontation with the struggles of detention and societal labels.
The film interviews provide intimate insight into detainees’ personal narratives. They are chronicles of survival, transformation, and the profound impact of the detention system. Portraits serve as visual gateways into their pasts, each image a stark testament to their endurance. These portraits encapsulate their transformations from “locked” and “labeled” to liberated and empowered.
LOCKED / LABELED is an art project and platform for formerly incarcerated individuals to share their stories, inspire change, and ignite discussions about the juvenile system in Pike County. This project invites the public to look beyond labels, to see individuals behind stereotypes, and to understand the effects of the juvenile detention system on those who have lived it.
Through LOCKED / LABELED, we seek to inspire empathy, understanding, and ultimately, drive conversations around reform in the juvenile justice system. Through panel discussions scheduled throughout the project, we will help provide ideas for change in the current carceral system. We invite you to join us on this journey of transformation, to listen, to learn, and to help us shatter the chains of stereotypes.
