“Breakin rocks in the hot sun... I fought the law and the law won”, the opening lines of Sonny Curtis’ 1958 hit song, epitomize the hard manual labour historically associated with incarceration. But softer forms of penal labour also occur inside prisons. When undertaken in contexts of such sensory extremes, carceral craft has the potential to act as a tool of further oppression, or offer an outlet for expression. Through colonial and contemporary examples such as needlework in South African prisons and batik production in Indonesia, this lecture attempts to offer a reminder of the fundamental ambiguity that underpins the labour of textile craft.

A live online zoom talk with Professor Jessica Hemmings, HDK-Valand, Academy of Art and Design, University of Gothenburg. Join us in person at The Museum in the Park, or join the session online from your own home.

Booking required - book online or call 01453 763394.

Image: Prinds Christian Augusts Minde exterior © Fin Serck-Hanssen