25 Scary Works of Prison Art
By Darealprisonart October 18, 2020
2. Don't Stop Here
3. Untitled
4. Blood Money
5. Untitled
6. Untitled
7. Untitled
8. Untitled
9. Untitled
10. Heaven Must be Missing an Angel
12. Untitled
13. Foe the Love of the Doe
14. Unknown
15. Untitled
16. Untitled
17. Untitled
18. Untitled
19. Untitled
20. Untitled
21. Untitled
22. Untitled
24. SHU Syndrome
25. Untitled
DAREALPRISONART
1.) Can't Walk by Cruz
2.) Don't Stop Here by Arnold Citizen aka Musafir
3.) Untitled 4 by Arnold Citizen aka Musafir
4.) Blood Money by Arnold Citizen aka Musafir
5.) Not Applicable ( N/A)
6.) Untitled by Joseph Lil Man Valencia
7.) Untitled 6 by Abraham Reasons Ledesma
8.) Untitled 1 by Abraham Reasons Ledesma
9.) Untitled by Boonie
10.) Heaven Must Be Missing An Angel by Donald C-Note Hooker
11.) I See Death Around the Corner by Donald Cnote Hooker
12.) Untitled 3 by GungyRu
13.) Foe The Love Of The Doe by Anthony Scott
14.) Unknown by Unknown
15.) Untitled 4 by Porky
16.) Untitled 3 by Porky
17.) Untitled by C Los
18.) Untitled by As
19.) Untitled 4 by A S
20.) Untitled 6 by Maru
21.) Untitled 1 by Maru
22.) Untitled by Maru
23.) N/A
24.) SHU Syndrome is not available in print, but you can buy prints of Michael D. Russell's works here: Michael D. Russell Shop | Redbubble
25.) Rachel Estella Nunez
Inspired by My Modern Met's Halloween publication of spine-tingling scary art, we put together a selection of scary art from our catalog of 500+ published works of Prison Art.
By Darealprisonart October 18, 2020
Samhain, a Gaelic word pronounced "sow-win," is an ancient spiritual celebration of the Celtic Harvest. Deemed the most important of their four quarterly fire festivals, Samhain took place at the midpoint of the Fall Equinox and the winter solace. Celebrants believed the barriers between the physical world and spiritual world broke down during this period. This created an opportunity for more interactions between humans and Otherworld denizens. In the 8th Century, Pope Gregory III designated November 1st as a time to honor all Saints. The day before All Saints Day became known as All Hallows Eve, now known as Halloween. Most Christian holy days were never able to divorce from the people, the so-called Pagan rituals they were intended to replace. All Hallows Eve was no exception. Many of the Celtic traditions of Samhain are found in Halloween. The dressing in costumes of characters from the Otherworld, ghost stories, trick-or-treating, these traditions became popular in the United States, with the mass migration of immigrants from Ireland.
Prison itself, within the cold, dark, dankness of a prison cell, can lead to the machinations of Otherworld visitors. Prisoners don't get to refuse to take up residence inside of a cell right after a suicide has occurred there. How does one maintain their sanity in such proximity to death? Let alone find solace, on top of a still warm mattress, formerly slept on by a dead person. Prisons are ripe for the kinds of paganized or animatist thinking Christianity and other contemporary organized religions stand guard against. Especially in these times, where U.S. prisons have replaced insane asylums.
- Can't Run
Can't Run is a work of ink on paper by prisoner artist Edwin Cruz. He is one of our earliest published artists. Cruz, who came to prison as a juvenile with a sentence of life without parole, has since had his sentence reduced. He is an active artist behind the wall, working with, and getting other prisoners to work with, organizations like Inside Out Art. Inside Out Art is a grassroots organization who works with families and individuals at risk from poverty, hunger, homelessness, incarceration, and/or inadequate education and healthcare. He is active in organizing other prisoner artists to participate in creating murals on the prison grounds. Not only is Cruz active as a mentor in the Arts, but with other Restorative Justice programs as well. In 2019 he was interviewed by The Guardian on his thoughts on the passing of Hip Hop artist Nipsey Hussle. See their interview of the artist: Grief behind bars: prisoners on Nipsey Hussle and the cycles of violence | US prisons | The Guardian
2. Don't Stop Here
3. Untitled
4. Blood Money
Images 2-4 are works on paper by Arnold "Musafir" Citizen. Citizen is a prolific prisoner artist and tattooist behind the wall. We began publishing his works in 2019. His works speak to the contemporary nihilism so many urban youths find themselves confronting.
5. Untitled
6. Untitled
Images 5-6 are the works of Joseph "Lil Man" Valencia. Lil Man is a prolific prisoner artist. He is a sculptor, tattooist, and painter. Lil Man was very generous in donating works to the December 2019, First Annual Ratcliff Awards and its accompanying fundraiser. Image 5 is one of his sculptural works. These are not works in clay, but from the bars of soap that are issued to prisoners. In 2019 we interviewed the artist regarding his work as a sculptor. See: Prison-Sculptor Donates to Fundraiser by darealprisonart on DeviantArt
Image 6 is a work on paper, and shows the depth of this artist's imagination.
7. Untitled
8. Untitled
Images 7-8 are ink on paper by Abraham "Reasons" Ledesma. These works were donations made by Reasons to the First Annual Ratcliff Awards. He has an extremely, extremely, talented artist, and one of our published favorites.
9. Untitled
Image 9 is a work on paper from Ernie "Boonie" Boon. The artist donated this work to the First Annual Ratcliff Awards.
10. Heaven Must be Missing an Angel
11. I See Death Around the Corner
Images 10-11 are works on paper from prisoner artist Donald "C-Note" Hooker. C-Note is an artist we've published his poetry on our site Mprisondpoetz | Poetry From Thoz Mprisond
https://mprisondpoetz.wordpress.com/, and published his commentary on our site Mprisondthotz | Thotz From Thoz Mprisond
In the span of five years, this artist has become America's and the world's most prolific prisoner artist. To learn more about this artist, visit his website: https://www.c-note.org
12. Untitled
Image 12 is a work on paper by prisoner artist GungyRu. GungyRu is one of our earlier published artists. He is a phenomenal artist and much sought-after tattooist behind the wall.
13. Foe the Love of the Doe
Foe the Love of the Doe is work on paper from prisoner artist Anthony Scott. This work was given as a donation to the First Annual Ratcliff Awards.
14. Unknown
Image 14 is a work on paper. The artist is unknown. We received it as a donation for the December 2019, First Annual Ratcliff Awards.
15. Untitled
16. Untitled
Images 15-16 are works on paper from prisoner artist Porky. Porky's other works of ink on paper have been some of the best works we've ever published.
17. Untitled
Image 17 is an untitled work on paper from prisoner artist C-Los. It is one of our earliest published works.
18. Untitled
19. Untitled
Images 18-19 are works on paper from prisoner artist Anthony "P.Banga" Silv. Banga is one of our featured artists. He is also a much sought after tattooist behind the wall. See our tattooist interview with him: Hit'em UP! The Prison Tattoo Artist, Tatt'n Fame by darealprisonart on DeviantArt
20. Untitled
21. Untitled
22. Untitled
23. Raiders Rule
Images 20-23 are works on paper from Michael Khair Maru Ringo. Maru is a very prolific and much sought after artist. Images 20 and 21, are highlights to image 23, a showcase of urban nihilism. Maru is one of our featured artists.
24. SHU Syndrome
SHU Syndrome is a work of ink on paper from Michael D. Russell. Russell was an artist active (artivist) to end long-term solitary confinement in California. He himself was such a prisoner, and was a participant in a 30,000 prisoner hunger strike. He was every news publisher's go to artists who were reporting on solitary confinement in California. See: Beautiful Inmate Art From Pelican Bay State Prison Hunger Striker | Colorlines
25. Untitled
This work is from Pinterest pinner Rachel Estella Nunez, from her Board: My Heritage In Pics & Tats.
DAREALPRISONART
Darealprisonart is a seller of Prison Art prints, and a publisher of the drawings, writings, sound recordings, and videos, by prisoners. We also publish news reports surrounding the politics of prison. To learn more https://darealprisonart.wordpress.com/about
Here are the links where you can buy these works in print:
1.) Can't Walk by Cruz
2.) Don't Stop Here by Arnold Citizen aka Musafir
3.) Untitled 4 by Arnold Citizen aka Musafir
4.) Blood Money by Arnold Citizen aka Musafir
5.) Not Applicable ( N/A)
6.) Untitled by Joseph Lil Man Valencia
7.) Untitled 6 by Abraham Reasons Ledesma
8.) Untitled 1 by Abraham Reasons Ledesma
9.) Untitled by Boonie
10.) Heaven Must Be Missing An Angel by Donald C-Note Hooker
11.) I See Death Around the Corner by Donald Cnote Hooker
12.) Untitled 3 by GungyRu
13.) Foe The Love Of The Doe by Anthony Scott
14.) Unknown by Unknown
15.) Untitled 4 by Porky
16.) Untitled 3 by Porky
17.) Untitled by C Los
18.) Untitled by As
19.) Untitled 4 by A S
20.) Untitled 6 by Maru
21.) Untitled 1 by Maru
22.) Untitled by Maru
23.) N/A
24.) SHU Syndrome is not available in print, but you can buy prints of Michael D. Russell's works here: Michael D. Russell Shop | Redbubble
25.) Rachel Estella Nunez