Even though the project subconsciously visualizes issues – such as devastation of confidence, the moments when a woman starts to believe she deserves this retribution, the deterioration of feelings, or bullying – these situations are primarily reflected through beauty and always precisely composed images with intentional reference to Flemish colourfulness. The fascination with the beautiful “vivid” frescos compensates for this diversity of loathing and absurdity. Searching for beautiful images might stabilise the uneasy situation of women in prisons. A fundamental component of the project is voice performer Annabelle Plum’s audio, which works as a multiple cacophony. In prison, it is this noise and racket which are the worst.

The stylized “video frescoes” capture women from a correctional facility.
Dagmar *1985 and Lucie *1980.

Dagmar

Starting in 2017, Dagmar spent 21 months in custody in Plzeň Prison in cell No. 92. Then, she was released and waited for a potential conviction for almost 3.5 years. During that time, she married and gave birth to a daughter.

The Regional Court in Plzeň proposed 9 years in a high-security facility. Subsequently, the court of appeal (the High Court in Prague) unconditionally sentenced her to 6 years in higher security. 

She began her sentence in Drahonice Prison, where she spent 15 months, and was released on parole at the end of 2021. She worked as a cleaner at the administrative building during her whole sentence. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, visits were not allowed. She did not see her daughter until 9 months later when the visits were permitted again, although with significant limitations – no contact was allowed.

After her parole, she was placed on probation for 5 years, and now she must regularly visit the Probation and Mediation Service. She attended 4 months of therapy, where she was tested for drugs twice a week. After 4 years, she can apply for the erasure of her criminal records. 

It has been challenging to find a job.

The whole lawsuit lasted 5 years, i.e., 2015–2020.

Lucie 

spent about 11 months in custody in Plzeň Prison from 2017. After she was released from custody, she was sentenced to 3.5 years of probation. But because her sentences were added together, eventually, she received an unconditional, almost five-year sentence.

Lucie has two children. Her parents had taken care of them when she began her sentence in Světlá and Sázavou Prison. The prison is almost 200km away from her home. Visits were, therefore, demanding not only due to the distance but also the pandemic. At the beginning of her sentence, the outbreak had just started, so she was not allowed to see her children for almost a year.

Lucie spent two years in prison from 2019 to 2021; she was then released on parole from Drahonice Prison, where she was transferred from Světlá and Sázavou due to poor conditions.

Curators: Filip Kazda
Photography: Michal Ureš