By Victoria Gaffney
The arts are entertaining—there’s no doubt about that—but they can also be therapeutic, restorative and healing. In prison, where people have little to occupy their time, turning to creative pursuits can be both enjoyable and liberating.
Next week, the former Lorton Prison, now home to the Workhouse Arts Center and the Workhouse Prison Museum, will take a closer look at the fairly common affinity for the arts in prisons. The lecture, “Coping with Life Behind Bars: Art and Music” will examine the rehabilitative power of both art and music, and is the second in the museum’s series, “Behind the Walls of Lorton Prison.”
The former D.C. Correctional Facility opened in 1910 and closed in 2001. The grounds are now open to the public (including, three schools, two parks and a large public golf course in Virginia).
Today, visitors can still see the craftsmanship of the former inmates when they look at the brick dormitories. Laura McKie, chair of the Workhouse Museum and History Committee says the prison’s model stemmed from the ideals of the Progressive Movement in the early 20th century in “an attempt to be self-sustaining.”
Known as a “prison built by its prisoners,” the inmates of Lorton literally constructed their own housing, down to the very bricks, which they too made by hand. But these prisoners weren’t just craftsmen, a great many of them also liked to dabble in art. In fact, many prisons house artists, or at least prisoners who like to express themselves artistically.
For the art portion of the evening, the museum will display artwork by former D.C. prisoners, including some portraits and even some quirky, crafty pieces (such as a dominoes set and a purse). Historian Irma Clifton, who formerly worked at the prison, also plans to bring in some intriguing photographs.
The event will feature pictures of graffiti as the prison walls were the “prime source of art,” says McKie; despite the bleak canvas, however, “some of the work is quite amazing.”
Kevin Petty, former prison inmate at Lorton, will spearhead the music portion of the evening. While at Lorton he was a member of the musical group, “The Amazing Gospel Souls,” a group of about twelve other former prisoners, says McKie. Petty and his fellow members felt the restorative power of music both inside and outside the prison and still perform today.
The lecture is free and begins at 7:30 p.m. in the W-3 Theatre at the Workhouse Prison Museum. Attendees must register online in advance. Subsequent lectures include: “Keeping Sane While Doing Time: Religion, Counseling and Social Services” on March 11, “Fires, Riots and Escapes: Lorton in the Public Eye” on April 8, and “Life After Prison” on April 29.
Orsinger Collection at the Workhouse Prison Museum
Workhouse Art Center
9601 Ox Road
Lorton, 22079
703-584-2900
