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CL: What is the Inside/Outside Envelope Project? PK: Well, the I/O Project is something that I hope will benefit both prison inmates, and people in need outside of the prison system. It’s inspired by envelope art tradition, which prisoners have perpetuated for years—it’s a way of giving something to those on the ‘outside’ whom they care about. |
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“The focus of the I/O Envelope Project is not money; it’s more about giving in every facet of each envelope’s development as a work of art.”
Phyllis Kornfeld, Organizer of the Inside/Outside Envelope Project.
CL: What is the Inside/Outside Envelope Project?
PK: Well, the I/O Project is something that I hope will benefit both prison inmates, and people in need outside of the prison system. It’s inspired by envelope art tradition, which prisoners have perpetuated for years—it’s a way of giving something to those on the ‘outside’ whom they care about.
CL: So the inmates decorated envelopes, within which they sent letters?
PK: Yes, but for the I/O Project, prisoners are simply decorating empty envelopes. The 200 envelopes I’ve collected will be shown at Outsider Art Fair, an upcoming event in New York City. The proceeds from any envelopes sold will go to a non-profit called the Reading Excellence and Discovery (READ) Foundation, which fights illiteracy in children and young adults through setting children up with teenage tutors.
CL: That’s so unusual for works in a commercial art show to, in actuality, have nothing to do with making a profit.
PK: That’s right. The Outsider Art Fair is the perfect place to show the envelopes because while it is commercial, like any other, it has different aims and represents artists who, like the prisoners, are outside the mainstream.
CL: Interesting. So how did you manage to get 200 prisoners to decorate envelopes?
PK: While it was difficult to find prisons to participate, we eventually were able to cooperate with a wide range, from county jails to those with maximum security. I’ve been an art teacher in the prison system for over 20 years, and I believe that within these walls exists wasted human potential. Many of the prisoners who donated envelopes have been my own students and others were selected at random. You wouldn’t believe how enthusiastic the inmates were when they were told about this opportunity to help those in need. They were so excited about changing the perceptions of inmates.
CL: Wow, what a great response. Do you see a lot of emerging talent from within the prison system?
PK: Actually, yes, I do. It’s so unfortunate that many brilliant people are incarcerated, and their work is shrouded from the public. Some people just do one bad thing, and it’s frustrating that their talents can’t be harnessed positively to help so many people in need outside the system. The diversity of depictions in the envelopes just shows how much creativity builds behind bars.
CL: I’m sure. So did you give the inmates any restrictions at all in what they were allowed to illustrate on their envelopes?
PK: None at all, except in terms of medium, as they had to use envelopes. And of course, the message relayed had to be positive or good-humored in some way—depictions of victimization or negativity would be unacceptable. Oh, and I am also very adamant that each artist remains anonymous. So there are no signatures.
CL: Artists remaining anonymous? That seems so counterintuitive.
PK: Yes, that was very important to me. I wanted the prisoners to experience the highest form of giving. The focus of the I/O Envelope Project is not money; it’s more about giving in every facet of each envelope’s development as a work of art. The prisoner makes the work and feels productive and generous, the buyer buys it, the money goes to charity, and an at-risk teenager learns to read, tutored by a teenager who learns important mentoring skills.
CL: Come to think of it, it’s interesting that the anonymity of the works resists the usual ‘big name’ impulse of the glitziest art fairs. The works also have no provenance… they are coming from a jail.
PK: That’s true. And the works are also extremely affordable, compared to many works usually sold at these types of fairs. Last year, the envelopes were either priced at $20 or $50. It’s kind of like we are linking two disparate subjects: prisoners, and the high-end sophistication of the art world.
CL: Yes, you’re absolutely right. It’s a very unexpected collaboration. And speaking of collaborations, why did you choose to work with READ, of the myriad causes to support these days?
PK: Well, I shopped around a variety of different charities, and while all were worthy causes, I decided that literacy would be the most significant for the prisoners. I wanted them to feel as if they were making a direct difference and literacy is an enormous issue for many inmates. They were immediately responsive to the literacy project because they want to stop the link between poor education and incarceration. Many of my inmates are conscious of the education they lack and understand gaining it as a way to simultaneously reform themselves and prevent future kids from heading toward a destructive path.
CL: I’m sure many people will be interested to see these inspirational works at the Outsider Art Fair. It’s rare to see contemporary art infused with such benevolence.
PK: Yes, I believe so too. The total effect of the I/O Envelope Project is care, giving and humanity.
