Happy Institutions

Juvenile-In-Justice will soon be in the halls of the National Gallery of Art through an acquisition of some of our collection. Rather than celebrating the artifacts set to be dawning frames on the walls soon, the feat accomplished through this, is rather that these individuals, their stories, faces, these images — people most often hidden away now have a voice in such a major national institution.

The National Gallery of Art celebrates and educates those from around the world on American art throughout history. The art of confinement is history in America. Now, through art, these individuals have a chance to tell their story, in preservation, through a different form.

Accompanying the print images are digital files available for more extensive community use to alter points of view and policy.

PBS: Brief But Spectacular

Photographer and Director of Juvenile In-Justice Richard Ross discusses turning a lens to juveniles in the justice system, in detention, and in dependence in an upcoming Brief But Spectacular episode. Find the episode here.

"These are kids without a voice from families without resources, from communities without power. And that's got to change somehow."

WILD: Act 1

Elijah Lancaster in “WILD: Act 1”, photo by Matthew Murphy.

"Celebrated Emmy-nominated choreographer Jeremy McQueen today announced the world premiere of the second installment of his groundbreaking new ballet and four-part dance film entitled WILD to be presented under his Black Iris Project. Jeremy McQueen’s Black Iris Project, the only ballet collaborative of its kind in the country dedicated to telling stories about the Black experience and to providing a platform and safe haven for Black artists, celebrat[ed] its fifth anniversary [in February]. With social justice issues dominating the current national conversation, WILD explores systemic racism and injustice through the real-life accounts of youth who have grown up in juvenile detention centers around the country." [...] "WILD: Act 1, traces the journey of a young man celebrating his 14th birthday behind bars, explores the effects of isolation and imprisonment on childhood development. McQueen was deeply moved upon seeing a photograph by Richard Ross at the Equal Justice Initiative’s Legacy Museum in Montgomery, Alabama. WILD: Act 1 is also inspired by and features Ross’ award-winning book, Juvenile-in-Justice, a collection of images, interviews, audio documents, and texts created over a dozen years, at 300 sites in 35 states, drawn from the lives of more than 1,000 kids. Ross’ work turns a lens on the placement and treatment of American juveniles housed by law in facilities that treat, confine, punish, assist and, occasionally, harm them." Read more, here.

New York Times Feature here.

“In these decades of work and the sameness of cells, there is much to be learned by the repetition of architecture and repetition of hopelessness. In “WILD”, McQueen takes my modest efforts and makes these kids come alive with hope and passion and grace. I wish all the kids have worked with could see this film and see their pain is understood and they are respected.”

-Richard Ross