Art Opening: “Confinement (In)Justice: A Dichotomy”

“Confinement (In)Justice: A Dichotomy aims to call attention to the unparalleled rate of incarceration in the United States. The population in the U.S. is 323 million people. Although this represents only 4.4% of the worlds population, the U.S. incarcerates 22% of the world’s inmates. At 716 per 100,000 of the national population, the U.S. has the highest incarceration rate in the world. In comparison, Cuba is the second highest, with a rate of 510 per 100,000.”

“My passion for this subject is two-fold: from being physically and socially isolated for a year by my abusive ex-husband twenty-five years ago and, most recently as CEO of Dress for Success San Antonio, from working for 2 years directly with inmates in the county jail.”

“In many of my paintings, eyes are present. It was not an intentional effort on my part and they do not appear in every piece. I believe they represent the faceless and voiceless images of the incarcerated. Initially, I ignored them, like many of us I suspect, but they became an increasing presence. By highlighting their eyes, I honor their presence and thank them for showing up.”

“I plan to continue working in a similar vein and look forward to addressing other provocative issues in future work, such as workplace bullying, gun violence, and the lack of adequate mental health care.” Pamela Taylor

Meet the Artist
Pamela Taylor, M.S., a San Antonio native, is an abstract expressionist painter whose work is intense and chaotic, symbolizing her personal pain and concern about society”s increasing tolerance of inequality, harassment, and intimidation, which has created an environment of incivility in schools, workplaces, and politics. She is the Co-Founder of Dress for Success San Antonio and Founder of Career Gear San Antonio, workforce development non-profit organizations serving the disenfranchised; Taylor served as CEO for nearly 14 years. While there, she worked directly with inmates of Bexar County Jail for 2 years. Taylor has been featured in the San Antonio Express News and local media on numerous occasions and is a survivor of domestic violence. In 2011, Taylor spoke about her ordeal in a TED Talk at Trinity University.

Confinement (In)Justice: A Dichotomy will be on display at The IAMA Coffee House from June 28-July 26, 2016.