This Autumn, Koestler Arts, the largest UK prison arts charity, presents their 17th annual UK exhibition of work created by people in prisons and other secure settings in partnership with the Southbank Centre.

The guest curators, Jeremy Deller and John Costi, invited six renowned figures from different creative spheres to help with the selection for the show; artists Abbas Zahedi and Larry Achiampong, curator and art historian Andrea Emelife, activist and founder of Sports Banger Collective Jonny Banger, Director of the British Museum Dr Nicholas Cullinan OBE and broadcaster Zakia Sewell.

No Comment
Co-curated by Jeremy Deller and John Costi
1 November – 15 December 2024
Southbank Centre, Royal Festival Hall, London

Jeremy Deller and John Costi. Images courtesy of Koestler Arts.

Opening on 1 November, No Comment is the 17th edition of Koestler Arts’ annual UK exhibition at the Southbank Centre. The show will feature a selection of works by prisoners, secure mental health patients, immigration detainees, and other individuals in secure settings, from the UK and abroad, all submitted to the annual Koestler Awards.

The artists Jeremy Deller and John Costi were invited by the charity to select circa 200 artworks from over 7,500 submissions, and curate this free exhibition of art by people in the criminal justice system. Both artists have long associations with Koestler Arts. Deller has been a longstanding supporter of the charity, volunteering each summer to help judge the Koestler Awards and write feedback to creators in prisons for the past fifteen years. In his words, “the Koestler Awards are the Art equivalent of Wimbledon”.

Costi first learnt about Koestler Arts in 2007 during his sentence at HMP Young Offender Institution Feltham. He has come full circle in his journey with the charity, from award-winner to mentee, scholar, member of staff, Awards judge, and now he is one of the co-curators of the annual exhibition. Before his engagement with Koestler Arts, he didn’t believe art could be part of his future. “I was under the illusion that my life was predetermined at a young age, and that it was impossible to do art because of my class and where I come from. I was told art wasn’t for me. It took me going to prison to realise it was”, he explained. It was the handwritten feedback and commendations he received through Koestler Arts which encouraged him to continue pursuing art while in prison.

This project is not the first time Deller and Costi meet. The pair first connected in 2013 when Deller worked with the British Council to issue six Cultural Scholarships for artists with lived experience of prison to travel and visit his exhibition at the 55th Biennale di Venezia. In Venice, the pair developed a rapport talking about their work and shared approach to art, which is reflected in this exhibition.

Both artists have a distinctive collaborative artistic practice, which is why the decision to invite six other creatives with different roles in the art world to contribute to the process of selecting the pieces felt like a natural choice, bringing in multiple viewpoints and ideas. Abbas Zahedi, Andrea Emelife, Jonny Banger (Sports Banger collective), Larry Achiampong, Dr Nicholas Cullinan OBE and Zakia Sewell, spent time at the Koestler Arts Centre this summer making their selections.

The idea for the title, No Comment, was sparked by a piece of artwork selected for the show which depicts a person obscured by a large microphone. The painting prompted discussions about the lack of opportunities for people in secure settings to share their voice and opinions. The exhibition provides that platform and the curators wanted to ‘let the art speak for itself’, showing the range of topics and interests of artists within these settings. It will feature writing, music and design in a variety of themes; humour, honesty, sadness, political commentary and more.

Some of the artworks on display will be available to purchase through the Koestler Arts website. There will also be opportunities for visitors to write feedback on their favourite pieces in the exhibition space, which will be sent directly to the exhibited artists.

Free exhibition tours will be available for the public at set times of the day on Wednesday’s, Friday’s and weekends by tour guides, some of whom have personal experience of the criminal justice system and can speak about the important role creativity plays in these settings. Please see Koestler Arts’ website for times and more information.

Fiona Curran, CEO of Koestler Arts, comments:
“We are delighted to be partnering with the Southbank Centre for our annual UK exhibition again this year. Being able to showcase the creativity of our beneficiaries in a world-renowned venue provides us with a great platform, and an opportunity for the public to engage and learn more about the power of the arts in secure settings, and its impact on rehabilitation.”

Mark Ball, Artistic Director of Southbank Centre, comments:
“We’re delighted that such a fantastic pairing of curators is leading the 2024 Koestler Arts Exhibition. Jeremy has a long association with Southbank Centre and his and John’s combined curatorial vision are rooted in a long track record and understanding of arts and the justice system. The imagination can never be locked up and it’s vital that we continue to highlight the spaces and organisations within the criminal justice system that encourage artistic expression.”