Prison art transcends barriers

The Prison Chaplaincy Service of Aotearoa New Zealand hosted the New Zealand section of the 2009 International Prisoners Art Contest from 6 to 8 May at the Wellington Cathedral of St Paul.

Hon Dr Pita R. Sharples, Associate Minister of Corrections, opened the exhibition of 63 entries from prisons around the country. The works were judged by Wellington artists and Massey University art tutors. The five winning entries have gone to Austria for the international competition on 1 July 2009.

David Major, National Director of the Prison Chaplaincy Service, said in support of the initiative, “Many prisoners find it difficult to express themselves through language for a variety of reasons. But they often find they are able to do this well through art. The Prison Chaplaincy encourages art as a form of self –expression. The depth of some of these works is exceptional.”