For artist Jesse Krimes, the act of standing for a mug shot was more than a routine procedure—it was a moment of profound vulnerability. “My image was being captured at perhaps one of the lowest moments in my life,” he recalls. “it’s like you’re almost performing criminality for the photographer, as like a protective measure. as a way of putting armor on, knowing that you’re going into this very traumatizing, perilous situation.”
Between 2009 and 2010, while awaiting trial on drug possession charges, Krimes spent a year in solitary confinement at Fairton Federal Correctional Institution in South jersey. Cut off from the outside world, his only connection to society came through newspapers. In the pages of the New York Times, he encountered countless mug shots—faces frozen in expressions of despair, defiance, and resignation. These images, he realized, were more than just photographs; they were symbols of how society reduces individuals to their worst moments, branding them as disposable or dangerous.
Inspired by this realization, Krimes began a unique artistic project.He collected 300 images—mug shots of everyday people alongside headshots of politicians and celebrities—and transferred them onto small fragments of prison-issued soap. This painstaking process,which he describes as “removing them from these damaging narratives and almost cleansing,or repurposing,them,” became a form of redemption. The resulting series, titled Purgatory (2009), was a powerful commentary on identity, stigma, and change.
Smuggling the artwork out of prison was no small feat. Krimes concealed each soap portrait within stacks of playing cards, meticulously cut into tiny frames using a tool he crafted from a deconstructed battery. In place of the conventional kings and queens were these “offenders,” their faces immortalized in an unexpected medium.
After his release in 2013, Krimes’ artistic career flourished. Based in Philadelphia, he became a vocal advocate for formerly incarcerated artists, championing racial justice and the fight against mass incarceration. His work caught the attention of Lisa Sutcliffe, a curator of photography at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, who approached him in 2023 about a potential exhibition.
The exhibit, titled “Jesse Krimes: Corrections,” juxtaposes Purgatory with 19th-century photographs by Alphonse Bertillon,the French criminologist credited with inventing the modern mug shot. Bertillon’s black-and-white images depict alleged anarchists—mustachioed men accused of crimes ranging from petty theft to bombings. Together, the two bodies of work create a dialog about the evolution of criminal identity and the power of art to challenge societal perceptions.
“It’s really vital for institutions that house collections of art to think about how they can be a resource for people who are returning from prison, not just artists, because they are places of contemplation,” Sutcliffe explains.“They’re places that help to platform conversations that can be more tough, and the Met can be a really great resource for reminding people of their own humanity.”
Through his art, Krimes continues to challenge the narratives that define individuals by their mistakes.His work is a testament to resilience, creativity, and the enduring power of human expression—even in the most unlikely of places.
Jesse Krimes: Art as a Mirror to Mass Incarceration and Humanity
Jesse Krimes, an artist whose work delves into the complexities of mass incarceration, has created a body of art that challenges societal norms and redefines the narrative around justice and individuality. His latest exhibition, “Corrections,” features two monumental pieces: Apokaluptein:16389067 and Naxos, which together form a profound commentary on the human condition.
Apokaluptein:16389067, a sprawling mural crafted on 39 contraband bed sheets, was created during Krimes’ time in prison. Using hair gel to transfer newspaper images onto the sheets, he spent three years constructing a visual meditation on capitalism, commercialism, and media influence. The piece juxtaposes themes of heaven, earth, and hell, offering a layered critique of modern society.
Opposite this mural hangs Naxos, a 40-by-15-foot installation featuring approximately 10,000 pebbles suspended from thin threads. Each pebble, sent to Krimes by incarcerated individuals from prison yards across the country, symbolizes the weight of mass incarceration. Inspired by Carl Jung’s analogy about pebbles and averages, Krimes highlights the futility of reducing individuals to statistics. “Naxos talks about averages and ideals and how those things don’t actually capture the uniqueness of an individual or an identity or a person,” Krimes explains. “That pebble becomes like a symbolic depiction of that individual.”
krimes’ artistic journey extends beyond “Corrections.” His recent work, showcased in the “Cells” exhibition at New York’s jack Shainman Gallery, reflects a shift toward consolidation and healing. One standout piece, Unicorn (2024), is an 8-foot-high, 26-foot-wide embroidered web made from used clothing donated by currently and formerly incarcerated individuals. The piece incorporates layered images of animals from art history, many depicted as caged or hunted, including references to the medieval hunt of the Unicorn tapestries displayed at the Met Cloisters.
“It’s this idea of this magical, mythical creature whose horn can purify water, and a bunch of men just want to go out and kill it,” Krimes says. “There’s this punitive urge to kill the unicorn. [[[[Unicorn]captures this essence of what punitive ideology is and how it’s just so enmeshed in our culture.”
The intricate patterns in Unicorn mimic microscopic images of cancerous organs,but with a twist: the malignant tumors are removed,and the lines of clothing diverge to form patterns resembling healthy cells. This transformation symbolizes liberation and renewal, a recurring theme in Krimes’ work.
Through his art, Krimes not only critiques the systems that dehumanize individuals but also offers a vision of hope and restoration. His pieces serve as a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the power of creativity to challenge and transform societal narratives.
Jesse Krimes’ art is a testament to resilience,resistance,and the unyielding spirit of those pushed to society’s margins. His latest works, much like his earlier pieces such as the Rikers Quilt, celebrate the strength of individuals who endure systemic oppression. “there’s something really powerful about the images of these animals that capture this idea of resistance and power and strength in opposition to these harmful, punitive approaches. Even if they’re obscured or oppressed or hunted, they just are always overcoming these restrictions,” Krimes reflects.
In his new exhibition, Krimes shifts from the flat, quilted textures of his previous works to more dynamic, sculptural forms. Pieces like Minos and the Minotaur, Theseus’ Throne, and Ariadne’s Dancing Ground I – XIII reimagine ancient myths through a contemporary lens. using pebbles collected from incarcerated individuals, as seen in Naxos, Krimes retells the story of Theseus and the Minotaur. Theseus, guided by Ariadne’s thread, navigates the labyrinth to slay the beast and free his people from tyranny. This narrative becomes a metaphor for liberation and the intricate paths one must traverse to overcome societal constraints.
Krimes’ creations are monumental in both scale and meaning.They are layered with symbolism, drawing from history, mythology, and the lived experiences of those often forgotten. His work is not just art—it’s a neural network of stories, each thread representing the struggles and triumphs of marginalized communities. “The world is full of cages,” Krimes observes, “and the only way out is through this circuitous web of thread that may look fragile but will ultimately liberate everyone in its wake.”
his art invites viewers to confront the systems that perpetuate inequality while offering a vision of hope and transformation. Through intricate details and profound storytelling, Krimes challenges us to see beyond the surface and engage with the deeper truths of resilience and resistance.
“Jesse Krimes: Corrections” is on display through July 13 at The Met Fifth Avenue, located at 1000 Fifth Ave., New york. For more information, visit metmuseum.org/exhibitions/jesse-krimes-corrections.
how does Jesse Krimes see art as a tool for social change, specifically for formerly incarcerated individuals?
Interview with Jesse Krimes: Art as a mirror to Mass Incarceration and Humanity
Conducted by Archyde News Editor
Archyde: Jesse, thank you for joining us today. Your work has been described as a profound commentary on mass incarceration, identity, and societal norms. Let’s start with your time in prison. You’ve spoken about how your mug shot was a moment of vulnerability.How did that experience shape your artistic vision?
Jesse krimes: Thank you for having me. That moment—standing for the mug shot—was a turning point. It wasn’t just a photograph; it was a performance of criminality, a way of armoring myself for what was to come. But it also made me acutely aware of how society reduces people to their worst moments. Those images, those mug shots, become a permanent label, a stigma that follows you.That realization was the seed for purgatory, my series of soap portraits.I wanted to reclaim those images, to cleanse them of their damaging narratives and give them new meaning.
Archyde: Purgatory is such a powerful concept. Can you tell us more about the process of creating those soap portraits and smuggling them out of prison?
Krimes: It was a labor of both creativity and necessity. I collected 300 images—mug shots of everyday people alongside headshots of politicians and celebrities—and transferred them onto fragments of prison-issued soap.The process was meticulous, almost meditative. I used a tool I crafted from a deconstructed battery to carve tiny frames into playing cards, where I hid the soap portraits. It was my way of reclaiming these faces, of saying, “You are more than this moment.” Smuggling them out was risky, but it felt necessary. Art became my lifeline, my way of staying connected to the world outside.
Archyde: Your exhibition Corrections at the Metropolitan Museum of art juxtaposes Purgatory with 19th-century mug shots by Alphonse Bertillon. What do you hope viewers take away from this dialog between your work and Bertillon’s?
Krimes: Bertillon’s work represents the birth of the modern mug shot, a system designed to categorize and dehumanize. By placing my work alongside his, I want to challenge the way we think about criminal identity. these images—whether from the 19th century or today—are not just records of individuals; they’re symbols of how society views and treats people who are incarcerated. I hope viewers walk away questioning those narratives and seeing the humanity behind the images.
Archyde: Your larger works, like Apokaluptein:16389067 and Naxos, are monumental in both scale and message. Can you share the inspiration behind these pieces?
Krimes: Apokaluptein was created during my time in prison, using contraband bed sheets and hair gel to transfer newspaper images. It’s a meditation on capitalism,media,and the structures that shape our lives. The mural juxtaposes themes of heaven, earth, and hell, reflecting the layers of modern society.
Naxos is a different kind of meditation. It’s made up of 10,000 pebbles, each sent to me by incarcerated individuals from prison yards across the country. Each pebble represents a person, a story, a life.Carl Jung’s analogy about pebbles and averages inspired me—how we reduce people to statistics, losing sight of their individuality. Naxos is a reminder that every person is unique, that no statistic can capture the complexity of a human life.
Archyde: Your recent work, like Unicorn, seems to explore themes of punishment and redemption. Can you tell us about that piece?
Krimes: Unicorn is an 8-foot-high, 26-foot-wide embroidered web made from used clothing donated by currently and formerly incarcerated individuals.The patterns mimic microscopic images of cancerous organs, but with a twist—they’re layered with images of animals from art history, many depicted as caged or hunted. The unicorn, a symbol of purity and magic, is hunted and killed in medieval tapestries. That punitive urge, that desire to destroy what we don’t understand, is deeply embedded in our culture. Unicorn is a critique of that ideology,a call to see beyond punishment and embrace healing.
Archyde: You’ve become a vocal advocate for formerly incarcerated artists. How do you see art as a tool for social change?
Krimes: Art has the power to challenge perceptions, to start conversations that are often arduous or uncomfortable. For formerly incarcerated individuals, art can be a way to reclaim their identity, to tell their own stories rather than being defined by their mistakes.Institutions like the Met have a role to play in this—they can be spaces of contemplation and dialogue, places that remind people of their humanity.
Archyde: what’s next for you? Are there new projects or themes you’re exploring?
Krimes: I’m always exploring new ideas, but my focus remains on challenging the narratives around incarceration and justice. I’m working on a project that involves creating art with communities affected by incarceration, using their stories to build a larger narrative about resilience and transformation. Art is a mirror, but it’s also a tool for change. I want to keep using it to amplify voices that are frequently enough silenced.
Archyde: Jesse, thank you for sharing your journey and your vision with us. Your work is a testament to the power of art to challenge, heal, and inspire.
Krimes: Thank you. It’s been a privilege to share my story.
This interview has been edited for clarity and length.
