On Blank Pages

ONLINE ARCHIVE

an artwork conceived by Luzinterruptus

On Blank Pages was an artwork on view in Durham’s Millennium Place during Lumiere 2023.

This illuminated wall composed of hundreds of notebooks came to life through a series of workshops held by Artichoke’s Learning & Participation team with groups across the UK. The participants responses form part of the installation and can be viewed in this archive.

The notebooks explore the UK’s judiciary process, the prison system and its impact, as well as ongoing colonial regimes and issues related to justice. The themes that tie these many voices together are that the system has failed and that power lies in the wrong hands. In the words of one of the refugees that participated: “justice is action”.

View Archive

Participant writing in a journal

With thanks to

Prisons in County Durham including Frankland (Category A) Prison, Low Newton Women’s Prison and Deerbolt Young Offenders Prison

NEPACS (formerly the ‘North East Prison After Care Society), Durham

EMG Solicitors, Durham

Appeal, Charity and law practice dedicated to fighting miscarriages of justice and demanding reform, East London

Durham University

4Front Project, Member-led youth organisation empowering young people and communities, North West London

Nejma Collective, UK-based collective of Muslim volunteers who work in solidarity with people in prisons, London

South London Refugee Association

Catch-22, Alternative and special education provider for young people with barriers to education, East London

Salusbury World (Refugee Organisation), Brent London

Frankland prisoner

Resident, Frankland Prison

A notebook created by a resident at Frankland Prison, a Category A Men’s Prison. The group embedded the justice project into their learning programme.

Frankland Prison

Resident, Frankland Prison

Frankland Prison

Resident, Frankland Prison

Legal Professional

Legal Professional

Legal Professional

Legal Professional

Resident, Low Newton Prison

Resident, Low Newton Prison

Resident, Low Newton Prison

Resident, Low Newton Prison

Resident, Low Newton Prison

Resident, Low Newton Prison

Resident, Low Newton Prison

Resident, Low Newton Prison

Retired Teacher

Retired Teacher

Resident, Frankland Prison

Resident, Frankland Prison

Resident, Frankland Prison

Asylum and Human Rights Worker

Asylum and Human Rights Worker

Asylum and Human Rights Worker

Asylum and Human Rights Worker

Asylum and Human Rights Worker

Asylum and Human Rights Worker

Franklin Prison journal

Resident, Frankland Prison

Salusbury World

Refugee, Salusbury World Women's Group

A notebook written in a workshop with Salusbury World, a charity supporting refugee and migrant children and families to rebuild hopeful, fulfilling lives in London.

Palestine map

Assistant Producer, Artichoke

4Front

Young Person, 4Front

A notebook entry created in a workshop with 4Front, a youth organisation  that supports people to reimagine peace and justice – bringing healing to the forefront.

4fFont young person

Young person, 4Front

4Front workshop young people and staff team took part in the workshop. They discussed and emphasised that the “justice system” is a flawed phrase and it should be “system” as there is no justice.

4Front staff

4Front, team member

Tasneim poem

Poet

A poem written in response to the occupation of Palestine.

If justice was a person

Poet

Poet

Justice is being believed

Poet

SLRA

Community leader, South London Refugee Association

The workshop was with South London Refugee Association’s community leaders, who are all refugees.

SLRA

Community leader, South London Refugee Association

The group spoke up about the injustice around coming to the UK and being unwelcomed, police violence and most importantly that “justice is action.”

Community leader, South London Refugee Association

SLRA

Community leader, South London Refugee Association

Catch22

Catch22, Team member

Catch-22 is an organisation which designs and delivers services that build resilience and aspiration in people and communities. This includes work within the criminal justice, education and employment, child exploitation and social care.

Aynur's journal

REFUGEE, Salusbury World

A notebook written in the workshop with Salusbury World, a charity supporting refugee and migrant children and families to rebuild hopeful, fulfilling lives in London.

Salusbury World

REFUGEE, Salusbury World

The workshop was with Salusbury World’s women’s group who had incredible stories. Some of them had fled war in Syria and Sudan.

Salusbury World

REFUGEE, Salusbury World

In the workshop, the group discussed everything about justice from colonialism, imperialism, justice in the context of their faith.

REFUGEE, Salusbury World

The group noted the importance of documenting and writing their own stories, so that the colonisers and oppressors do not erase their truths or write their histories.

Salusbury World

REFUGEE, Salusbury World

Notebook created in the Salusbury World workshop. Written in Persian.

Assistant Producer, Artichoke

Deerbolt Prison

Resident, Deerbolt Prison

Deerbolt Prison is a Category C Young Offender Men’s Prison.

Deerbolt Prison

Resident, Deerbolt Prison

Deerbolt Prison

Resident, Deerbolt Prison

The group discussed the experiences that led them to prison, rights to a fair trial, need for good legal support and feeling or being criminalised before they’re even heard.

Participant, RSACC

RSACC offers free confidential counselling and support to survivors who have experienced any form of sexual violence.

Participant, RSACC

Frankland Prison

Resident, Frankland Prison

Resident, Frankland Prison

Resident, Frankland Prison

Low Newton

Resident, Low Newton - Women’s Prison

Low Newton Women’s Prison

Resident, Low Newton - Women’s Prison

Some of the women in the workshops said that their lives are better now that they’re inside prison.

Resident, Low Newton - Women’s Prison

Resident, Low Newton - Women’s Prison

Resident, Low Newton - Women’s Prison

Resident, Low Newton - Women’s Prison

Low Newton Prisoner

Resident, Low Newton - Women’s Prison

Resident, Low Newton - Women’s Prison

Resident, Low Newton - Women’s Prison

Resident, Low Newton - Women’s Prison

Resident, Low Newton - Women’s Prison

Young person, 4Front

Young person, 4Front

Resident, Low Newton - Women’s Prison

Resident, Low Newton - Women’s Prison

Resident, Low Newton - Women’s Prison

Resident, Low Newton - Women’s Prison

Resident, Low Newton - Women’s Prison

Resident, Low Newton - Women’s Prison