Point of Triangulation: Intersection of Identity Mural Dedication

During Mural Arts Month, Mural Arts Philadelphia will dedicate a new mural— Point of Triangulation: Intersection of Identity. The piece is designed to visually depict a choice that an observer has to make. The choice is whether or not to stigmatize a person based on the fact that they are formerly incarcerated. It is a visual examination of how stigma may be weaponized. The medium of photography and the platform of the public mural are used to investigate and interrogate the production of stigma upon the justice-involved, by juxtaposing the perception of the formerly incarcerated person with the individual’s greater identity. The viewer should complete the point of triangulation and understand how the imputation and weaponization of carceral stigma require their participation. The artists, Michelle Jones and Deborah Willis, were part of the 2019 cohort of Reimagining Reentry, a 20-month fellowship designed to support formerly incarcerated artists who are applying their creative practices to address critical issues of mass incarceration in Philadelphia. The project was funded by the Art for Justice Fund, a sponsored project of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, The Estate of Pearl M. Carpel, and the National Endowment for the Arts.