INHUMAN

VICTIMS OF SOCIETY


The infamous African American singer, songwriter and dancer Michael Jackson released his album ‘This is it’ and with it this song in 1995.

Within the song, he talks about the issues of society and those who fall victim to it. Both the vocals and instruments are of an aggressive and intense nature, ending abruptly repeatedly, showing the controlled anger behind the message.

When it comes to criminals, we’re quick to label them as just another bad seed, an abnormality, and “throw them in a class with a bad name” as Jackson says. Locked away, out of sight, and treated like animals. No longer deserving of the same empathy or equality. We turn a blind eye to their background, and the part that we as a society played in getting them to where we eventually put them.

All I wanna say is that they don’t really care about us
Tell me what has become of my rights
Am I invisible ’cause you ignore me?
Your proclamation promised me free liberty, now
I’m tired of bein’ the victim of shame
They’re throwin’ me in a class with a bad name
I can’t believe this is the land from which I came
You know I really do hate to say it
The government don’t wanna see

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT


This is a scene from the American TV series ‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’ (S3 E20), created by Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko and produced by Nickelodeon Animation Studio.

In the scene, Zuko challenges his deteriorating sister Azula to a final Agni Kai for the crown.

We underestimate the power a person’s environment and treatment has on their being, believing, and doing. Zuko and Azula were raised within the same environment. While Azula remained stuck in her father’s destructive grasp and became the perfect product of his will, Zuko’s environment changed, quickly leading to a drastic personality change. Just like Zuko and Azula, many inmates can break free or remain stuck in their toxic environment. As a society, and therefore the environment, we have to realize that when one doesn’t see or believes in better, it becomes almost impossible to do better. Therefore, we have to show better by doing better.

BAD HUMAN(S) KILL


This art was created by the Ohio inmate Jabrown Parks within his ‘Bad Human(s)’ series. The work is titled ‘Bad Human(s) 1.2’, and for sale on the website ‘Art for Redemption’ at the price of €2.802,95. It received the label of ‘staff’s favorite’. It measures 8.5″ x 11″, and was made by Bic ink pen and #2 pencil on paper.

The artwork shows a man holding up a fish, where the focus is placed on the fish. Around the frame, ‘Bad Human Kill’ is written in a dark red and almost all caps.

With this piece, the inmate addresses the apathy with which humans take animals from their natural habits to kill and eat, not ever considering the animal’s tears. As the positions of animals and inmates, and therefore their treatment, are quite alike, it’s only logical for this inmate to relate to the other victims of society.

Artwork from an inmate, showing a drawing of a man holding the fish he caught

“This is the third installment of a previous work titled Bad Human(s). Humans will remove an animal from its natural habitat, take a picture with it for sport… Kill it, then eat it & think nothing of it. Never considering that the animal was in tears when it was removed from its natural environment.”

PICK YOUR favorite

I want to invite you to browse the prison art’s website and pick a favorite. Once you’ve done that, share it in the comments below and (if you want) shortly explain why you picked it!

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