© Michal Chelbin, “Stas (Sentenced for Murder): Juvenile Prison for Boys,” Russia, 2009, Archival pigment print, Courtesy of the artist and CLAMP, New York.

Written by Amanda Smith

Copy Edited by Robyn Hager

Photo Edited by Haley Winchell

Michal Chelbin is a photographer who has gained unprecedented access over a six-year period to capture images of male and female inmates living in prisons. She completed her sessions by focusing on the complex gaze of the captives, and sought to express the human hiding inside the confining walls of the jail cell. The photographic lens captured the backgrounds of extravagant wallpaper depicting pastoral landscapes, reminiscent scenes of the inmates' now inaccessible hometowns. Despite life behind bars being full of contrasts, such peculiar decorations added familiarity to their mundane surroundings. Michal Chelbin’s main objective was to depict a multifaceted image of each of her incarcerated subjects by going beyond their crimes. Her work took on a profound nature, and what began as a random collection of photographs became a series of enigmatic moments in the lives of these incarcerated people. Some individuals clearly depicted the roughness usually associated with life in prison, while others revealed the essence of humanity; ghosts of the lives they used to lead. It feels as if the subjects all make eye contact with the viewer, directly evoking a sense of empathy. Chelbin, who didn't ask about the offenses until after she was done photographing, compels us to look into the eyes of imprisoned people before we even knew their crimes. The prisoners portrayed become all too relatable, and as a result, the distinctions between us and them become blurred, and we begin to perceive them as fellow human beings.

© Michal Chelbin, “Diana with Yulia (Sentenced for Theft): Prison for Women with Children,” Ukraine, 2010, Archival pigment print, Courtesy of the artist and CLAMP, New York.

© Michal Chelbin, “Sergey (Sentenced for Sexual Violence against Women): Juvenile Prison for Boys,” Russia, 2009, Archival pigment print, Courtesy of the artist and CLAMP, New York.

© Michal Chelbin, “Lena and Katya; Juvenile Prison for Girls,” Ukraine, 2009, Archival pigment print, Courtesy of the artist and CLAMP, New York.

Through the perspective of Chelbin’s lens, we witness a convict's inner conflicts with an outside world they can now only dream of. Having been desensitized by the inundating news of war and disaster in the Slavic regions, it is often in our nature to overlook the fact that we're viewing pieces of lives that have been destroyed and dreams that have been ruined. Whether it is due to their own actions or the result of being born into unfortunate circumstances, we can relate to the human desperation and acts of survival on display. Chelbin’s photographs contrast the inaccessible outside world with the harsh realities of life behind bars, and it is this concept that the artist lays bare for the world to see. After the camera lens has departed and the spectators are no longer present, the walls remain, leaving each inmate trapped and staring at the disquieting wallpaper. What is so beautifully strange is the heterotopia of it all. It's the light of a camera that captures, mirrors, and upends what is outside and what is inside, bringing the story of the imprisoned to life with Chelbin's vision.

© Michal Chelbin, “Vania (Sentenced for Murder): Men’s Prison,” Ukraine, 2010, Archival pigment print, Courtesy of the artist and CLAMP, New York.

© Michal Chelbin, “Vania (Sentenced for Sexual Violence against Women): Juvenile Prison for Boys,” Ukraine, 2010, Archival pigment print, Courtesy of the artist and CLAMP, New York.

The collection leaves the audience with more thoughts than answers. Three perspectives are represented in the film in this particular moment, each connected through a multifaceted gaze. This includes the photographer's perspective behind the camera, the subjects’ gaze within the filmed representations, and the spectator's gaze as they view the image. The social implications of the gaze touch on a crisis of existentialism, as viewers may find themselves reflecting inwardly and experiencing a similar sense of self-awareness as these captive individuals are being depicted. This introspective experience is universal, making it relatable to all who partake in the artist’s project, and it is as if all of us exist together in that room. The CLAMP exhibition, which was completed over a six year period, has now been compiled into a monograph by Twin Palms Publishers under the acclaimed title, “Sailboats and Swans.”

“Sailboats and Swans” will be on view at CLAMP ART until May 6, 2023.