This painting depicts the connection between the historical story of Moses freeing the Hebrew slaves in Egypt and the ongoing stripping of freedoms that the incarcerated population experiences today. I created this work to draw attention to the reality of restorative justice and rehabilitation in the California Department of Corrections & Rehabilitation (CDCR).
The Pharaoh and his army swarm the painting, represented by Satan’s dragon and demonic hoards, intent on crushing the Hebrew slaves. The heavenly host sits above, fighting to save it. At the bottom of the painting, modern day incarcerated people dressed in prison blues stand on the shore with Moses fighting against their own oppressers—CDCR. Governor Newsom’s campaign to establish San Quentin as a Rehabilitation Center has caused a struggle within the carceral system to keep rehabilitative practices. Just like Satan was trying to destroy the Israelites, incarcerated people’s access to rehabilitation is threatened. Without it, many people will be denied release from prison.
