How a Brooklyn art gallery is fighting mass incarceration “We talk about a pipeline from court involvement to arts involvement,” says Recess founder Allison Freedman Weisberg By DianaBudds Apr20,2018,1:00pmEDT

The Brooklyn gallery Recess is using art to fight mass incarceration. CourtesyRecessandKazSakuma

Someartistshaveasubtlecreativeauraaboutthem.NotKerry,a21-year-oldfilmmaker,dancer,designer,andmodel.Oversixfeettallwithdyedcherry-redhair,hewalksandtalkswitharapidclipandseeminglyboundlessenergy.

Heproudlytellsmethathe’swearingjeanshecustomizedhimselfandasweatshirtgiftedtohimafterhewalkedhisfirstMen’sFashionWeekrunwayshowinFebruary.(HeevengothispictureinVogueandpullsuphisInstagramtoshowme.)

OriginallyfromHouston,KerrymovedtoNewYorkwhenhewas18todoexactlywhathe’sdoingtoday:buildhisportfolio,designclothes,andmakefilms.But

thatmightnothavebeenthecasewithoutAssembly,anartsprogramrunbythenon-profitorganizationRecessthat’sanalternativetoincarceration.

AfterarrivinginNewYork,KerrygotajobstylingandmerchandisingforUrbanOutfitterswhileworkingonhisownclothingline.Lastyear,Kerrywasarrestedforamisdemeanor,andthecourtsgavehimtwooptions:gotojailorspendafewweeksatagalleryinBrooklyntolearnaboutandworkintheartsindustry.Hechosethelatter.

“It’salife-changingexperience,”KerrytellsmeaboutAssembly.“Iwasalwayslookingforaplacetositdownandfocusandcreate.NotonlydidIfindaplacesitdownanddomywork,Isatdowntobecreativeandgetpaidtodomywork.Alotofyoungpeopledon’tgetpaidfortheircreativity.”

InNewYorkstate,blackandHispanicyouthmakeup33percentof16and17yearolds,butcomprise72percentofallarrests.Theyalsoaccountfor82percentoftheyouthwhoaresentencedasadults.

Thedangerousandharmfuleffectsofyouthincarcerationhavebeenwelldocumented,asinthecaseofKaliefBrowder,a16-year-oldBronxresidentwhowasdetainedatRikersforthreeyearswhileawaitingtrial,andwholatercommittedsuicideafterhisrelease.

NewYorkCityhasrecognizedmassincarceration’sinjusticesandisplanningtocloseRikersIsland,adecisionthatwillinvolvenumerouspolicychanges,includingbailreformandalternativestojail.ThroughitsAssemblyprogram,RecessisshowinghowtheartscanbecomeaneffectivetoolinNewYorkCity’sdecarcerationkit—andhowacommunity-drivenartsorganizationcanbecomeapowerfulforceforsocialjustice.

For Assembly, artist Shaun Leonardo created an alternative classroom. CourtesyRecessandKazSakuma

In2009,AllisonFreedmanWeisbergfoundedRecessasanexperiment:Couldanartsorganizationmakeboththeartworldanditsaudiencemoreinclusiveanddiverse?Tothatend,sheopenedastorefrontspacethatwaspartgalleryandpartstudio,andlaunchedaresidencyprogramthatinvitedcreativestocompletesociallymindedprojectsthattheywouldn’tbeabletodoelsewhere.

Rightnow,Philadelphia-basedartistTionaNekkiaMcCloddenisRecess’sresidentartist.Forthepastmonthandahalf,shetransformedthegalleryintoajukejointinspiredbyacharacterinTheColorPurpleandisusingthespacetoexplorequeeridentity,thehistoryofjukejointsasasocialspace,andwhatitmeanstobeablackwomanfromtheAmericansouth.TheeventsforShugAvery’sKiss,allofwhichareopentothepublic,includeletter-writingworkshops,awig-makingsession,andaconversationaboutlove.

Artist Tiona Nekkia McClodden (right) hosted informal conversations as part of her interactive installation ShugAvery’sKiss at Recess. CourtesyRecess

ManyoftheartistsRecessworkedovertheyearswithwereinterestedinmassincarcerationsinceitintersectedwithsomanyotherissues:race,class,poverty,andeconomicinequality,amongothers.“It’sthishugesocialfailure,”Weisbergsays.“Afterawhile,itfeltdisingenuoustotalkaboutit,butnottobedirectlyinvolved.”

Recessdecidedtotakeamoredirectapproach;insteadofmakingartaboutmassincarceration,itwouldbecomeinvolvedwithsolutions.In2017,RecesslaunchedAssembly,anartist-leddiversionprogramforcourt-involvedyouth.ArtistShaunLeonardodesignedAssembly’scurriculumandleadsitsprogramsessions.

“There’salotoftalkaboutpipelinesinthecriminaljusticeworld,”Weisbergsays.“Wetalkaboutapipelinefromcourtinvolvementtoartsinvolvement.”

WeisbergandherteamlookedforwaysthatRecesscoulddowhattheorganizationdoesbest—interrogatingculture,fosteringcreativity,encouragingdialog—whilealsobecomingamoreeffectiveagentforchange.WorkingwiththeCenterforCourtInnovation’sBrooklynJusticeInitiatives,anon-profitthatexploresalternativestoprisonandjail,Recessexploredthepsychologyofbeinglabeledacriminal(awordthatRecessisverycarefulnottouse,preferring

“court-involved”or“justice-involved”asmoreaccurateandlessprejudicedterms)andhowtocounteractthelife-changingeffectsofenteringthecourtsystemwhenyoung.

Oncesomeoneentersthejusticesystemandexperiencesthedehumanizingexperiencesofarrest,jail,arraignment,trial,andsentencing,criminalitycanbecometheiridentity—theybelievethattheynolongerhaveoptions,andtheirlifestoryisset.

“Alotoftimesit’sfolkswhoidentifyas,‘Thisismywayoflife.BecauseIhaveacertainsetoflimitedandforeshortenedoptions,mywayoflifeisthis.Andthat’sendofstory,’”Weisbergsaysaboutthepsychologybehindthecriminalnarrative.“It’samannerofdescribingyourselfthat’snotaboutyouindividually;it’salmostasifsomeonedescribesthemselvesasifthey’rewatchingamovie.It’sacharacteroutsideofthemselvesthat’sengagedinaspecificsetofbehaviorsandallofthoseareaforegoneconclusions.”

Assemblyworkswithyouthbetweentheagesof16and24whoarearrestedinBrooklynformisdemeanorcrimes.WhencaseworkersattheKingsCountyCriminalCourtscreenparticipantsforalignmentwiththeAssemblycurriculum,theylookforoneoftwofactors:signsof“criminal”thinkingoridentificationand/oraninterestincreativepursuits.IfeitherisidentifiedyoungpeopleareofferedAssemblyasanalternativetojailtimeandotheradultsanctions.Instead,theprogram’sparticipantsworkwithartistsinRecess’snetworktorealizeacreativeprojectcollaboratively.Iftheparticipantssuccessfullycompletethecourse—whichiseitherafour-oreight-week-longcycle,dependingonwhatthecourtmandates—theircaseisclosedandsealedandtheyavoidanadultrecord.

Recessworkswithartistsknownforrevisingdominantnarratives,whichispreciselywhatAssemblyisattemptingtodo.Throughartisticinterventions,Assemblyaimstodisruptthecriminal-thinkingnarrativeofcourt-involvedpopulations.

Assembly his headquartered in a storefront gallery space in Downtown Brooklyn and will soon relocate the Recess’s new space near the Navy Yard. CourtesyRecessandKazSakuma

“Wewanttogive[theparticipants]thepowerandagencytotelltheirownstoriessothattheyleave[theprogram]withashiftinperspectiveandawaytoarticulatethemselves,”Weisbergsays.“Weseeartistsashavingaveryspecificsetofskillsthattherestofusdon’thave.They’reabletoimaginethepossibilitiesinawaythatotherscan’t.Artistsofferacreativetoolkitandproblemsolveinawaythat’sveryspecificandinvolvestheskillsofcreativereimagination.”

Afterparticipantssuccessfullycompletethecourt-mandatedAssemblyprogram,theyhavetheoptiontocontinuewiththeorganizationaspaidartistapprentices,wheretheylearnaboutarthandling,howtoinstallartworks,and,essentially,becomeanextrasetofhandsfortheartists.Theextendedprogramalsoincludesresumeandportfoliobuildingworkshops,andRecessworkswithitsnetworktoplaceparticipantsinpaidinternshippositionsatpartnerorganizations.Participantscanalsobecomepeerleadersandbecomeapointofcontactforincomingparticipantsinthecourt-mandatedprogram.

Sofar,75youngpeoplehavebeenpartofAssembly.Kerrywasoneofthefirstparticipantsintheprogramandsomewhatofatestcaseforit.Aftergetting

arrested,hejoinedinMay2017forthecourt-mandatedcourseandlikeditsomuchthathestayedonfortheapprenticeshipandpeer-leadershipsegments.Rightnow,he’shelpingcoordinatetheprogramwhileheworksonapersonalproject:avideoaboutculturalappropriation,socialjustice,racism,andBlackLivesMatter.He’scompletedatrailerforthevideo,whichheisreleasinginchapters.AssemblyhelpedhimdowhatheoriginallycametoNewYorktodo:becomeanartistineverysenseoftheword.

“Therewassomeonefromthecourtswhowasatmytrailer’spremiere,”Kerrytoldme.“Shewasstandinginthebackandaftershecameupandshookmyhandandshewassuperhappyandsaid,‘Ididn’tknowyouweredoingthingslikethishere.’Shewantedtohaveaconversationandshedidn’tlookatmelikeIwasthatcriminal;shelookedatmelikeIwasanartist.Ilovedthat.”

Tohelpsupportthisnewinitiative,Recessrecentlymovedintoanew5,000-square-footspaceinFortGreene,neartheBrooklynNavyYard.Thespaceisstillaworkinprogress,butitincludesRecess’sadministrativeoffices,affordablestudiospaceforresidentartists,awoodshop,andarecordingspace.It’snearotherartists’studios,andaccessibletotheyouthwhotheorganizationwillbeworkingwith.(Weisbergexplainsthateventhoughit’soffthebeatenpath,therelativequietnessoftheareacomparedtoDowntownBrooklynmadetheprogram’sparticipantsmorecomfortable.)Additionally,it’swalkingdistancetoanumberofpublichousingprojects.

Today,RecessisworkingwiththecourtstofindAssemblyparticipants,butinthefutureitwantstoreachyouthbeforetheyevergetarrestedsotheyavoidthetraumaofthecourtsystem.InarapidlygentrifyingBrooklynneighborhood,Recessiscreatinganartshubthatservestheentirecommunity,fromyoungpeopletoartiststopeoplewhoappreciateart.

“Whatwe’rethinkingaboutnowis,‘Isthereawaytodothisprogrampre-booking?’”Weisbergsays.“Thatisabiggerchallenge.ThiswouldinvolvebasicallyinterceptingcasesorincidentsbeforetheygotocourtsonoonehastoexperiencewhatKerrydidinpre-arraignment.”

AfterIvisitedRecess’snewspace,KerrywalkedwithmethroughFortGreenetotheorganization’stemporarystorefrontgalleryonatree-shadedcornerofSchemerhornStreet,acrossfromthearea’snewWholeFoodsandApplestore.

Forthepastmonthandahalf,Brooklyn-basedartistTiffanySmithhasbeenworkingoutofthespace.Usingphotography,videography,andinstallations,

Smithexploresidentityandculturalrepresentation.ShetransformedAssemblyintoaportraitstudio,completewithvibrantbackdropsandkitschypropsatthereadyforpeopletoexperimentwith:saccharinefauxcupcakesfrostedinglitter,plasticrosesandhibiscuses,artificialpalms,wax-printfabrics,andawickerpeacockchair.

YouthinRecess’sAssemblyprogramworkedareinvitedtodesigntheirownsetsandsitforportraitsorselfies—aninteractivewayforthemexplorehowtheywouldliketopresentthemselvestotheworld.Smithisalsoteachingthemaboutphotography’sprinciplesandshowingthemtechniquestomastereverythingfromvintage35mmfilmcamerastoPolaroids.

A16-year-oldgirlintheAssemblyprogramexcitedlyshowsmeacoupledozenofthePolaroidstheytook,whichareproppeduplikeaminiaturegalleryshowonaledge,andexplainsthatforherproject,she’dliketoexploresocialjusticethroughphotographs.A17-year-oldgirltellsmehowsheplanstousephotographytodelveintoatopicclosetoher:Whatdoesitfeelliketobeaplus-sizewoman?Shedoesn’tthinkthefashionindustrypaysenoughattentiontothisgroup;throughinterviewsandimages,shewantstofillinthegap.

Participants in Assembly worked with the artist Alexandra Bell to redesign biased news stories. This is the NewYorkTimes’s front page layout when it reported on a nationalist driving his car into a Charlottesville protest.

This is how the youth redesigned the layout and rewrote the headline to more accurately reflect the story’s significance. This exercise taught them about identifying media bias and how to critically think about the news.

Theythenshowmesomeoftheotherworkthey’vedoneatAssembly,likedissectingfront-pagenewswithAlexandraBell,aBrooklyn-basedartistfromChicagowhoinvestigateshowpeopleconsumeandperceiveinformation.Forhermostrecentseries,Counternarratives,BellredesignedlayoutsandrewroteheadlinesofraciallybiasedNewYorkTimesfrontpagesandpostedthemarked-up“before”pagesalongsidethe“afters”allacrossBrooklyn.(HerpieceaboutMichaelBrown,theunarmedteenagerkilledbyapoliceofficerinFerguson,MO,recentlygainednotice.)

Withoutmissingabeat,thegirlsexplaintomehowimportantitwastothinkcriticallyaboutthenews,andhowtheyredesignedtheTimes’sSunday,August13,A1layoutalongsideBell.Thatweekend,deadlyprotestseruptedinCharlottesville,Virginia,becauseofawhitenationalistrally.Butthestorythattookupthemostfront-pagespacewasaboutimmigrationinthecountry’sheartland.Thegirlsquestionedthehierarchyofphotographs:Thelargestphotowasoftwoindividualsstandingwhiletheimageofacarbarrelingthroughacrowd—whichwonaPulitzerPrizethisweek—wassmall.Theynotedthedifferencebetweentheheadlinethatappearedinprintandonline,identifiedbiasinthewriting,thoughtaboutwhichstoriesweremostimportantforthedayin

comparisontowhichstoriesreceivedthemostrealestate.Thentheyredesignedthewholepage—anddidthelayoutbetterthantheTimes’sfrontpageeditor.

“When[Assemblyparticipants]seethecreativitythatotherartistsbring,itmakesthemwanttobecreative,”Kerrytellsmeabouttheimpactofworkingwithartists.“AndIlovethosemoments.Theycandoit,andnooneistellingthemtheycan’tdoit.Youfeellikeyou’recapableofthings.It’sabeautifulthing.That’swhatittakesforalotofpeople—theyhavetobeinspired.Ifyou’renotinspired,youdon’tknowwhatyoucando.”

Perhapssomedayinthefuture,oneoftheyoungpeoplewhoparticipatedinRecessAssemblymightbecomeanewspapereditor,oraphotographerlikeSmith,oranactivistartistlikeBell—orsomethingentirelydifferent.Becausepeoplesawcreativepotentialintheseyoungpeopleinsteadofprojectingastereotypeontothem,theyhavemoreofafightingchance.