Carolyn Harper is a textile artist living in the Philadelphia area. Her work has a strong social justice component to it as she creates portraits of people or groups who have been marginalized, discriminated against, or abused. Her current work features hand embroidered batik and hand sewn art quilts of individuals who have been impacted by mass incarceration.
Harper's works provide faces to those who have traditionally been faceless, nameless and powerless. Her practice is not only about documenting - it is also about making connections with people, and she has formed deep personal relationships with many of her subjects. The intent is to lift other voices and let them speak. Therefore, in every exhibition, Harper displays alongside each piece a statement about and often written by the person portrayed.
This current work consists of portraits of incarcerated individuals whom Harper knows or has known, most residing within a PA State Correctinal Facility. Many have been imprisoned for decades, and many for a crime they did not commit or took no active part in. The portraits are her attemnpt to show the humanity of those whom the world has forgotten.
