Lived Spaces and the Places of the Architecture of Identity, an ‘Outside-In’ and ‘Inside-Out’ Research in the Prison of Monsanto: The Creative Arts Studio

In: Dialectics of Space and Place across Virtual and Corporeal Topographies
Author:
Mariana Correia Carrolo
Search for other papers by Mariana Correia Carrolo in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Close

Purchase instant access (PDF download and unlimited online access):

$40.00

Is it possible to have a better understanding of Prison of Monsanto’s overall space by combining interpretations coming from the outside-in, and at the same time try to explore these from the inside-out, not only through the inmate’s natural position, but also through the artistic work developed in CAS’s classes: inmate’s paintings and drawings representing the space? This is the challenge of the research The Portuguese Prison Architecture: Shape, Experience and Space Representation. The Prison of Monsanto. The research falls upon a panoptic high security male prison, - an old military structure, built in Lisbon the 19th Century. This research uses traditional methods, but also – and through the relationship between the elements and structures, social dynamics, rituals and daily routines - valorises a varied and multifaceted analysis, based upon hands on experience developed through the activities at CAS. Teaching the arts to the inmates, CAS (2007-2011) - strived, through its activities and technical training, not only to tackle the theme of prisons and its space, but also to explore the personal imaginary of the prisoners. This imaginary is the foundation used to analyse the artistic and subjective notions of the subject and the space, and it is acknowledged through the collections of drawings. Through these, we unveil the perception, experience and representation of the inmate’s reality - formally, dimensionally and emotionally - framed against a contemporary and unique social and institutional background. The subject – the inmate – acts as a witness in space, place and time. He participates in this reality and draws up a personal testimony: his own ‘construction of space’. As if, through the representation of space – thus through art – he is able to modify his reality. Endowing it with new symbols, meanings and interpreting it according to a, yet unknown, intimate experience as a prisoner.

  • Collapse
  • Expand

Metrics

All Time Past 365 days Past 30 Days
Abstract Views 129 21 2
Full Text Views 2 0 0
PDF Views & Downloads 6 0 0