CAH Press: Indya “Icy” Wright
Press Email: [email protected]
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 2, 2025
Inside Out: Dignity and the Art of Seeing
An exhibition that centers the vision, agency, and self-definition of incarcerated photographers in Washington, DC.
WASHINGTON, DC—Inside Out: Dignity and the Art of Seeing is a groundbreaking exhibition that turns the camera around, placing power and self-perception in the hands of incarcerated photographers whose images and stories stand as a testament to the way image-making can change lives. The exhibition runs January 15 – March 5, 2026, at Eye Street Gallery 200 I Street SE, Washington, DC 20003.
RSVP at https://insideout-exhibit.eventbrite.com
Emerging from the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities’ pioneering 1980s “Arts In Prison” initiative, the exhibition brings together never-before-seen works by women photographers in DC Jail with historic images by men in Lorton Prison. Inside Out illuminates a vital chapter in prison arts education where photography became a tool for self-definition, solidarity, and community-building.
The exhibition is rooted in the vision of documentary photographer and educator Karen Ruckman, whose “Arts In Prison” photography program took place at DC’s Lorton Correctional Complex in the 1980s. For nearly a decade, the course transformed lives and expanded the visual record of incarceration. The resulting body of work complicates one-dimensional portrayals of incarcerated people, asking viewers to see individuals who are creative, tender, and full of the desire for connection.
Key Dates
Opening Reception: January 15, 2026, from 6pm-8pm
RSVP: https://insideout-exhibit.eventbrite.com
Artist Talk: February 5, 2026, from 6pm-8pm
RSVP: https://insideout-artist.eventbrite.com
Moderated by Vikki Tobak in conversation with Ghia Ridley Hobbs, WBR Empowerment Legacy Foundation, Inc., Nicole Porter, The Sentencing Project, and photographers Beverly Price, Karen Ruckman, and Bernard Seaborn.
Closing Reception and Catalog Launch: March 5, 2026, from 6pm-8pm
RSVP: https://insideout-catalogue.eventbrite.com
High-resolution images and additional information are available upon request.
About the Curators:
Emma Pearce is a creative producer, documentary filmmaker, and independent curator based in Washington, DC. A native Washingtonian, she has worked for the past decade with returning citizens, providing a platform for self-expression and storytelling. She is the producer and writer of the award-winning documentary short, “In Lorton’s Darkroom” (PhotoChange LLC, 2018). She is a 2022-2026 Commission on the Arts and Humanities Fellow and has lectured widely on carceral image making.
Vikki Tobak is an author, journalist, and curator. She is the author of critically acclaimed books CONTACT HIGH: A VISUAL HISTORY OF HIP-HOP (Clarkson Potter/Random House), 2018); ICE COLD: A HIP-HOP JEWELRY HISTORY (Taschen 2022) and The Streets Win (Rizzoli 2023). Her work has appeared in Complex, Rolling Stone, The FADER, ESPN, BBC TV, Paper, Vibe, i-D, and The Library of Congress. She has worked as a producer for CNN, CBS and Bloomberg News.
Tobak is also the curator of the traveling Contact High exhibition at the Annenberg Space for Photography, The International Center of Photography, Manarat Al Saadiyat (MAS) in Abu Dhabi and MoPOP (Museum of Pop Culture) Tobak and the exhibition were nominated for a Lucie Foundation Award for Curator / Exhibition of the Year.
About the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities:
The DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities (CAH) is an independent agency of the D.C. government, serving as the District's state arts agency, providing grants, programs, and resources to foster diverse artistic expression, cultural heritage, and arts education for residents and visitors, funded by local funds and the National Endowment for the Arts, with a mission to promote arts and humanities progress throughout Washington, D.C..