Los Gatos United Methodist Church wants visitors to see humanity in everyone. At its “Open the Door! Art from Within” exhibit, prisoners currently incarcerated in Santa Clara Correctional Facilities are showing off their artwork until the end of the month.
The program originally began as a workshop for the inmates to connect with a spiritual journey.
“One of the women asked me ‘Who will see this artwork?’ but what she meant was ‘Who will see us?’” said Elaine Bondonno, the program director. “because they feel invisible to society when they’re behind the bars.”
This led to the organization creating exhibitions for people to see the inmates’ artwork.
For seven years, six exhibitions of their art work have been exposed to communities in Santa Clara County Hall of Justice, the Santa Clara Government Center, Valley Medical Center, Ameriprise Financial, the San Jose Quilt and Textile Museum, and San Jose’s Tabard Theater.
The exhibition at the Los Gatos church includes newer pieces not previously shown.
The theme of all the artwork is transformation and healing. A piece titled “Metamorphosis” is a collage of origami butterflies made from penal code paper. The black butterflies represent the isolation the inmates feel when they’re locked up and the colorful butterflies represent the free and newly healed inmates.
“Through the artwork they showed what it’s like to address the issue of being labeled,” said Bondonno.
Though art is often created in solitude, the pieces in the exhibition were a collaborative effort.
“Inmates are able to share life’s challenges, find they are valued by others, and become part of a greater whole,” said a statement from the church.
One piece located inside the church’s sanctuary, titled “Colors of Hope”, is a large textile woven piece with a large heart in the center that reads as “Trusts God Always”. The women hand-dyed each strip, determined the heart design, and then wove it all together.
When the artists were asked to reflect about this piece, one of the women said that the piece represents an intertwining of personalities, beliefs, trusts and bending without breaking.
Visitors get a chance to leave feedback on post-it notes for the inmates. One of the notes read as “I never understood why Jesus told us to visit those in prison until my son was incarcerated. We must give hope and work for healing. Life is too precious to give away!”
The exhibition is still open to the public on Wednesdays from 6-9 p.m., it closes July 29. The church is located at 111 Church St, Los Gatos. Visit lgumc.org for more details.
