Prisons

These three images, with accompanying text, came out of a workshop which was part of an exhibition called Thresholds (10th to 18th September 2011) at St. George’s Church, Esher, by artists Janet Medway, Claire Reed and Ann Varlow.

Although these are not prisons in the conventional sense, they are all ways in which people can feel trapped.

Wall

If you come up against a blank wall, you can feel that there is no way out, both physically and mentally.

I also wanted to explore the fact that walls are often ignored by us. We look at furnishings, even the floor (which may have an interesting texture), but not so much the wall.

Child Ghost

This box in the Newcastle Pew was designed for children. It made it possible to keep children completely shut off and trapped in. The ghostly feel evokes the memories of all the children who have ever been trapped inside.

Royal Prison

This image reflects the idea that Royals are a kind of prisoner – aways on show with very little privacy, unable to live a normal, ordinary life to do what they want to do