Painted in February 1961 by an inmate of Pentridge Prison who signed his name J. G. Cust. Earlier this year, I was sent these photographs by a man whose father had been a warden at Pentridge in the 1960s. We know nothing else but hope to find out more. Please comment if you have any information.
I live close to the stone walls of the former Pentridge prison. I was living there when it was still operational. So my interest in this area is partly due to proximity (the rehabilitation of this former 19th-century prison is another story). I’m interested in art outside of the mainstream, from alternate exhibition spaces to graffiti.
The politics of prison art has three parts. Firstly, who is incarcerated? In Australia, Indigenous people are disproportionately incarcerated. What is the purpose of incarceration, and what is the purpose of art? Is it therapy, education, recreation, job training, or culture? These definitions are political and, in a prison, become structural and institutional.
Finally, there is the issue of who should profit from the art or literature created by prisoners. This final question only worries shallow vengeful politicians (of which there are many in Australia) who cannot separate the crime from the incarcerated person.
In this state, the Torch provides art training and the opportunity for sales to Indigenous people who are incarcerated and post-incarceration. I have been writing about their annual Confined exhibitions and other exhibitions organised by the Torch.
Here are all my posts on the art of the incarcerated (I must try to keep this up dated).
Pentridge – more on prison art
Teaching Art in Prison memories from Chris Dyson
The life and art of Ronald Bull
Confined 8 2017
Yannae Wirrate Weelam and prison art
Confine 9 2018
No Turning Back at Deakin Downtown Gallery
Banj Banj/nawnta at the Counihan Gallery
Black Mark 
June 10th, 2022 at 6:24 PM
After my release from Pentirdge, with two other political prisoners, in 1972, we became activists in the Prisoners Action Committee. I was its spokesman for a few years. As a gesture of appreciation, one of the prisoners painted a portrait of me, which I still have. It was a surprise to receive it.
Are you in touch with the various Pentridge related facebook groups. I think they would be very helpful.
June 10th, 2022 at 6:26 PM
Thanks for the memories and for the suggestion to contact Pentridge facebook groups.