The tension of a line: a portrait of Perth prison

Fowler presents a series of drawing and paintings which were created over a period of two years within the maximum security prison at Perth in Scotland. The drawings and paintings depict the prisons interior spaces, such as the cell blocks used by the life sentence prisoners and the prison infirmary. Whilst also documenting the exterior spaces of the jail, its central courtyard, exercise yards, cell blocks and the graves of the hanged. The series of work also contains portraits of the prisoners and discipline staff who worked specifically in the prisons Learning Centre. The opportunity to create the work arose from the authors role as an Art Teacher for 7 years within the prison. This experience enabled unprecedented access to all areas of the prison and an opportunity to record through observational drawing and painting, a unique portrait of the prison.