Through the Blue: A Koestler Arts Exhibition is showing in our gallery from 29th January to 14th March. Tuesday to Saturday, 10am to 4pm. Free admission.

Entering the Old Fire Station gallery from Gloucester Green, you’re struck by a bold, deep blue wall evoking the ocean, with a line of white framed artworks reminiscent of undulating waves or the shoreline from a distance. I’m reminded of my former home where we had an accent wall painted ‘Oxford blue’, a backdrop for our television that served as a window to stories. On this gallery wall, visitors are greeted with the words, ‘Unknown blue waters. Exciting and scary’. Underneath sit a range of images – paintings, drawings, poems, and more – pulling us into the worlds and memories of incarcerated artists seeking a measure of freedom, joy or restoration through art.

The Koestler Arts exhibition, ‘Through the Blue’, was curated by a group of people on probation in Oxford and Reading, who diligently reviewed over 600 artwork entries from those in prisons, secure hospitals, and young offender institutions, or on probation, in Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Surrey. About 70 pieces are displayed, representing an exciting art collection giving a glimpse into perspectives not often known or visible.

Dualities abound in the exhibition. An abstract painting of prison doors, titled ‘Wings’. Artwork expressing confinement and surveillance, like ‘Outside In’, with a red eye and partial face peering in as if through a peephole, displayed alongside images of nature, animals, and movement. Many birds are depicted – wings spread, taking flight. A skydiver leaps from a plane in an exhilarating fall towards the watercolour earth below in ‘Soft Landing Back to the Community’. Pain and humour co-exist in the space, with poems speaking of remnants and resilience, like ‘Grit’, and playful sculptures such as ‘HMP Bargain Bucket’ with fried chicken made of cornflakes. Several portraits draw us in with their intimacy and skill. With pastels, paints, biro pens, matchsticks, papier-mâché, textiles or paper, each piece demonstrates purpose and creativity.

As a new gallery volunteer, I feel privileged to have a behind-the-scenes view. It has been about a year since I organised and co-curated an exhibition of 14 East Asian artists at the Old Fire Station in connection with my anti-racist non-fiction book launch for I am Not a Tourist: Conversations on Being British Chinese. This time, helping Charis Dishman and Edie Goodban from Koestler Arts by laying out artwork and disposing of packing material, I could see how their meticulous curation and digital artwork mapping met the reality of the gallery space and accessibility needs. With minor tweaks and support from Bethan Elford, Old Fire Station Exhibitions and Workshops Manager, their vision was realised.

The benefits of volunteering extended to being able to attend and check in guests for the private opening night event featuring speeches from Becca Vallins, Deputy CEO of Old Fire Station, and Fiona Curran, CEO of Koestler Arts; as well as a philosophy workshop exploring concepts of boundaries, peace and freedom, run by community philosophers Andy West and Kate Halliwell. Meaningful community conversations among strangers were a highlight.

There is a sadness that comes with knowing that most of the artists will not be able to physically see their art displayed in the gallery and admired by the public. Thankfully, Koestler Arts has thoughtfully addressed this. In addition to a friends and family event, the public can fill out feedback cards that are shared with the artists – a tangible way to express your thanks, encouragement, and connection through art. Several of the artworks are also available for purchase, with proceeds going to Victim Support, Koestler Arts, and the artist.

I filled out as many feedback cards as I could, and one piece has stayed with me. ‘One Daisy for Each Year of a Life Sentence’ is a crocheted daisy chain connected by handcuffs with keys. Not a surprise that I love this piece, given my name and that I’m an embroidery/textile artist. On the day of set-up, I saw a small bundle of acrylic wool daisies casually placed on a folding table, ready for installation, looking discarded and lost. When I returned for the opening event, the 25 connected daisies were displayed in all their glory. Assembled as a wreath, the flowers served as a portal, transporting us through the artist’s experience in the form of their meditative craft. A reminder that even within an existence of restraint and profound grief, a lifetime sentence, beauty is possible.

This is the last week for the Koestler Arts Through the Blue exhibition – view the art until 14 March.

This article was written by author, advocate and artist Daisy J. Hung, daisyjhung.com.