Peace in Destruction: Art from Rikers Island

Presented by Groundswell 

Between 2008 and 2019, Groundswell created approximately 50 murals at Rikers Island in collaboration with young people who were incarcerated there. Few, if any, of these works have ever been seen outside the jail.

As New York City moves closer to closing Rikers Island, this exhibition preserves the visual records and social histories of these murals while centering the lived experiences, emotions, and imaginations of young people impacted by incarceration.

Documented in May 2024 by street photographer Martha Cooper, the surviving murals are presented alongside newly commissioned works by artists impacted by the carceral system, created in dialogue with Cooper’s photographs. The exhibition also includes a six-panel mobile mural made in summer and fall 2024 by young adults impacted by the carceral system, led by teaching artists Christopher Cardinale and Vincent Ballentine. A Youth Curatorial Committee, organized in collaboration with Exalt Youth and the Center for Family Life and led by teaching artist Demetrius Felder, contributed original artworks, interpretive materials, and an original song composed and recorded by participant M.I.O. Dee Cee.

Through photography, collaborative murals, film, and sound, Peace in Destruction invites audiences to reflect on incarceration, youth justice, and the enduring power of art to make unseen histories visible.

Join us on Wednesday, June 3, at 6 PM for the opening reception of Peace in Destruction: Art from Rikers Island.