Compelling. Urgent. Humanizing. Thought-provoking. These are just a few of the words art critic Ray Rinaldi of The Denver Post used to describe our current exhibition High Walls: Artists Navigate Structures of Confinement.
High Walls is a group exhibition exploring incarceration and its effects through the eyes of artists both directly and indirectly impacted by prison.
Some artists are currently or were previously incarcerated, while others reflect on the systems that shape confinement and its impact on individuals, families, and communities.
Curated by Katja Rivera, Tya Alisa Anthony, Sarah McKenzie, and Geoffrey Shamos, the exhibition presents diverse perspectives on what it means to be justice-impacted through painting, video, installation, and photography.
““High Walls” reminds us that all artists are artists, and all people are people, free or not, and cannot be forgotten.”
Works like Cedar Annenkovna’s Imagine: The Only Door I Can Open, painted on prison-issued bed sheets, and Mario Rios’ To Grip Freedom Through Hopelessness, depicting a prisoner’s hand reaching toward the sky, highlight the resilience and creativity of those inside.
Other pieces, including Maria Gaspar’s immersive sound-and-video installation, explore the isolating architecture of prisons and the structures that sustain them.
Cedar Annenkovna’s “Imagine: The Only Door I Can Open,” is painted on Colorado Department of Corrrections-issued bed sheets. Art Director Jane Burke. Photograph credit: Kyla Fear.
Part of RedLine’s ongoing commitment to community engagement and social impact, High Walls is on view through October 12, 2025.
Read Rinaldi’s full review below—and stop by to experience this timely and moving exhibition for yourself.
Read The Denver Posts’ Review of High Walls here >
October Art Events at RedLine
Check out RedLine’s upcoming events throughout the month of October!
Stop by for artist talks, Collage Club, Figure Drawing, and more!
