On Friday, May 5th, we are staying open until 7pm so visitors may see the “Behind the Wall” traveling art exhibit.  We are thankful to the Owego Historic Marketplace for all of the work that goes into First Friday and for making our village a destination location for food, shopping, and the arts.

Here is some additional information on the exhibit:

Traveling Art Exhibit Visits Tioga County

“Behind the Wall”, a traveling exhibition of drawings, paintings, letters, stories, and poems, will be on display at the Coburn Free Library, 275 Main Street, Owego during the month of May.  The exhibit includes 140 works by 90 individuals in detention facilities in 22 states.

The artworks and writings in “Behind the Wall” have been collected by Prisoner Express, a project of the Durland Alternatives Library, and curated by Ithaca-area artist Treacy Ziegler.  Prisoner Express uses newsletters, book exchanges, and art and creative writing programs to foster hope and a sense of community among incarcerated people around the country.  The project currently serves more than 4,000 prisoners and has reached more than 37,000 over the last 20 years.

“Behind the Wall” was conceived and coordinated by Story House Ithaca.  Both Prisoner Express and Story House Ithaca are projects of the nonprofit Center for Transformative Action.  The exhibit is presented in collaboration with the Finger Lakes Library System and supported by an action grant from Humanities NY.

“Behind the Wall” opens May 2 at the Coburn Free Library with an informal, come-and-go reception from 3:00 – 4:00 pm.  Director of Prisoner Express Gary Fine, Artist/Exhibit Curator Treacy Ziegler, and Co-Directors of Story House Ithaca Jonathan Miller and Lesley Greene will be present to meet and greet.  Refreshments will be provided.

This exhibit is an opportunity to peek inside the lives, hearts, and imaginations of people you might otherwise never encounter, learn more about their world, and be inspired by their art.