Local Art Alert: Jesse Krimes

Summary

Podcast Summary: "Local Art Alert: Jesse Krimes"

Introduction

In the July 3, 2025 episode of ALL OF IT hosted by Alison Stewart on WNYC, the spotlight is on the transformative work of Jesse Krimes, a formerly incarcerated artist whose exhibition titled Corrections is currently on display at the Metropolitan Museum of Art (the Met) until July 13th. This episode delves deep into Krimes' journey, his establishment of the Center for Art and Advocacy, and the broader implications of his work within the cultural and carceral systems.

Establishing the Center for Art and Advocacy

At [01:30], Alison Stewart introduces Jesse Krimes as the founder of the Center for Art and Advocacy, recently opened in Bed-Stuy. Krimes shares his vision for the organization:

"I think that what we are trying to build at the Center for Art and Advocacy is something that is equal in scale, which is a very big dream, but it's also something that I believe is very necessary." ([01:46])

Krimes outlines the center's multifaceted approach:

• Funding Artists Nationwide: Providing fellowships and grants to six artists annually.
• Educational Partnerships: Developing an academy program in collaboration with institutions across the country.
• Residency Programs: Establishing a residency in rural Pennsylvania.
• New Physical Space: Recently inaugurated in Brooklyn, positioning the center at the heart of New York City's vibrant art scene.

Motivation Behind Supporting Incarcerated Artists

Alison probes why Krimes chose to focus on uplifting artists who have been incarcerated instead of solely pursuing his personal artistic career. At [02:53], Krimes responds:

"It was never really a question for me. It was just... having navigated that system and knowing not only my own personal experience... but coming across people who often, in many cases, had less charges than me and a lot more time." ([03:09])

He emphasizes the racial injustices inherent in the carceral system and the lack of representation for directly impacted artists in mainstream exhibitions. Krimes highlights the necessity of creating platforms where these artists can showcase their work and advocate for the end of mass incarceration.

The Importance of Creating Dedicated Spaces

When asked about the significance of having a dedicated space for incarcerated and formerly incarcerated artists, Krimes explains at [04:26]:

"Many of our artists have lost literal decades of their life behind bars... it just became very apparent and important that we needed a place... to really showcase the work that these artists are making from across the country." ([04:26])

He underscores the challenges these artists face in maintaining visibility and building their creative practices while dealing with the systemic erasure imposed by incarceration.

Jesse Krimes' Exhibit at the Met

Transitioning to his breakthrough moment, Krimes discusses his exhibition at the Met. Reflecting on the surreal experience of having his work displayed at such a prestigious institution, he states at [05:34]:

"I fully felt the weight of what it meant to be seen... to have that be valued at the most prestigious institution in the country... sends a very strong signal that... work of directly impacted artists... is something that is culturally important and significant for society." ([05:34])

This moment represents not only personal triumph but also a broader acknowledgment of the cultural contributions of artists affected by the carceral system.

Early Inspirations and Artistic Transformation

Krimes recounts his first visit to the Met during a high school class trip at [07:10]:

"I was shocked at the size of the museum itself... the individual works and the textures... it was actually radically transformative for me as an artist." ([07:10])

This experience profoundly influenced his artistic trajectory, inspiring him to pursue a path that intersects art with advocacy.

Navigating Incarceration and Advocacy Post-Release

Discussing his six-year incarceration, including solitary confinement, Krimes reflects on the challenges of addressing his experience publicly. Initially hesitant, he notes at [07:55]:

"There was a lot of stigma still associated around coming home from prison... but... we had Michelle Alexander's The New Jim Crow... Ava DuVernay's 13th... people started having these conversations in a much more public way." ([07:55])

These cultural touchpoints catalyzed a shift in public discourse, providing Krimes with the impetus to use his art as a medium for advocacy and to push for systemic change.

Overcoming Introversion to Advocate Publicly

Acknowledging his introverted nature, Krimes discusses what drives him to engage in public advocacy at [09:34]:

"I think, you know, we still have almost 2 million people who are incarcerated... there's an urgency and a necessity to support directly impacted artists... reclaim the narrative and control it in a way that highlights the dignity and humanity of the people." ([09:34])

His motivation is deeply personal, rooted in concern for friends still incarcerated and a commitment to leveraging every available platform to foster change.

Conclusion

The episode wraps up by highlighting Krimes' ongoing contributions through the Center for Art and Advocacy and teasing future discussions with other influential artists and exhibitions. Krimes' journey from incarceration to establishing a pivotal art center exemplifies the profound impact that art and advocacy can have in challenging and transforming societal structures.

Key Takeaways:

• Jesse Krimes' Advocacy: Transitioning from incarceration to founding the Center for Art and Advocacy, Krimes is dedicated to supporting artists affected by the carceral system.
• Cultural Significance: His exhibition at the Met serves as a powerful statement on the value and recognition of incarcerated artists within mainstream cultural institutions.
• Systemic Change Through Art: Krimes leverages his art to shed light on racial injustices and advocate for the dismantling of mass incarceration.
• Community and Representation: By providing platforms and resources, Krimes ensures that marginalized voices are heard and their stories are told authentically.

Notable Quotes:

• “What we are trying to build at the Center for Art and Advocacy is something that is equal in scale... something that I believe is very necessary.” ([01:46])
• “It just became very apparent and important that we needed a place... to really showcase the work that these artists are making from across the country.” ([04:26])
• “I fully felt the weight of what it meant to be seen... sends a very strong signal that... work of directly impacted artists... is something that is culturally important and significant for society.” ([05:34])
• “There was a lot of stigma still associated around coming home from prison... people started having these conversations in a much more public way.” ([07:55])
• “There's an urgency and a necessity to support directly impacted artists... reclaim the narrative and control it in a way that highlights the dignity and humanity of the people.” ([09:34])

This episode of ALL OF IT not only highlights Jesse Krimes' artistic achievements but also emphasizes the crucial role of art in social advocacy and systemic reform.

Transcript

[Alison Stewart]

All of it is supported by Progressive Insurance. Do you ever find yourself playing the budgeting game? Well, with the Name youe Price Tool from Progressive, you can find options that fit your budget and potentially lower your bills. Try [e-mail] Progressive Casualty Insurance Company and affiliates Price and coverage match limited by state law. Not available in all states. This is all of it. I'm Alison Stewart. We're talking about art today. In honor of our centennial project, 100 pieces of art. We've put together a list of a few of the 100 pieces of art that our experts suggested. Go to our Instagram for a list of suggestions. And if you want to hear our experts, head to wnyc.org art100. Now we'll talk with formerly incarcerated artist Jesse Crimes, who has a show right now at the Met called Jesse Crimes Corrections. Much of the art was made while Crimes was in prison, where he used soap, bedsheets, hair gel, decks of cards, and newspapers as working materials for pieces that he would secretly mail to the outside world. And now they're proudly on view in the hallowed halls of the Met. Until July 13th.

[Jesse Crimes]

Jesse Crimes has founded the center for Art and Advocacy, which he opened at a new location in Bed Stuy back in May. When he joined us for this conversation, I started by asking him what his initial dreams were for the organization.

Oh, wow, that's a big question. I think in many ways, you know, my experience of having having navigated the carceral system for so many years and just engaging with the kind of sheer scale that is our carceral system and landscape. I think that what we are trying to build at the center for Art and Advocacy is something that is equal in scale, which is a very big dream, but it's also something that I believe is very necessary. And so we are focused on funding artists across the country. We provide fellowships and grants to six artists every year. We are building an academy program to partner with institutions across the country. We're also building our residency in rural Pennsylvania. And as you mentioned, we just opened our brand new space in Brooklyn. And so that's all a way of saying that in many ways we're just getting started and that there is a lot more to come as we expand and really build our reach across the country.

After leaving prison, you could have gone on with your life. You could have pursued your life as an artist. Why did you want to put your effort into uplifting other artists who have been incarcerated and advocating for them?

You know, it was never really a question for me. It was just Again, having navigated that system and knowing not only my own personal experience going through that system, but coming across people who often, in many cases, had less charges than me and a lot more time. And to be clear, we're talking about a lot of black and brown people. It was just so apparent how racist and unjust that system is. And so. So much about my work is revealing those systems as independent artist. But when I came home and I was included in exhibitions that were dealing with themes of incarceration, I was often the only directly impacted artist in those exhibitions. And it was just, you know, it was kind of jarring to me. And I recognized that we really need to create a space where all of these amazing people who are currently incarcerated or formerly incarcerated have the opportunities to show their own artwork and speak on their own behalf in order to advocate for the ending of mass incarceration.

Yeah, I was going to say, like, why is having a space really important for the center for Art and Advocacy? Why was a space really important?

So if you think about it, many of our artists have lost literal decades of their life behind bars in a system that is designed to very publicly erase you from society. And. And, you know, since we've been funding artists since 2016, all across the country, you know, they're making incredible work. They're in Tennessee, Alabama, Texas. And it's often very hard when you think about being formally incarcerated, just surviving on a basic level, let alone trying to build a practice around visibility and your. And your creative practice. And so it just became very apparent and important that we needed a place, particularly in New York City, which is in many ways the epicenter of the art world, to really showcase the work that these artists are making from across the country.

First of all, not many people get to have shows at the Met.

Yeah, it's still a bit surreal.

What was your first reaction when you first saw your work on view with the Method?

I just remember thinking, like, you know, as someone who has been very intentionally erased from public view and thinking about, you know, the histories of prisons and museums and how they really kind of develop side by side. And one is an institution that is built to showcase what we value inside the walls, and the other is an institution built to be a place of what we. To house what we deem as disposable. And so I remember walking in there and just, you know, the juxtaposition from having been erased from society for over half a decade and being able to walk into a building like the Metropolitan Museum of Art and have my work on display there. I just. I fully felt the weight of what it meant to be seen and, like, the importance of hanging on those walls. And so it was just a very profound moment, not just for me as an individual, but for what I think my work represents writ large. And to have that be valued at the most prestigious institution in the country, I think sends a very strong signal that not just my work, but work of directly impacted artists across the country is something that is culturally important and significant for society.

Do you remember the first time you went to the Met?

I do. I think it was on, like, it was like, a class trip in high school. And I just remember going there and being shocked at the size of the museum itself. But then also, like, the individual works and the textures and the layering of paint and different materials and the scale of the works, it was actually radically transformative for me as an artist.

So you were incarcerated for six years. You were held in solitary confinement. When you first were released, was it harder to talk about than it is now?

It was.

Why do you think what has changed in the past decade?

I think a lot has. And so I remember when I first came home, the term mass incarceration hadn't even entered the public lexicon at that point. And so I think, you know, there was a lot of stigma still associated around coming home from prison. But simultaneously, you know, we had Michelle Alexander's the New Jim Crow was published. Ava DuVernay made the 13th. I think people started having these conversations in a much more public way. And so for me, that also was a signal that this is something that culturally we are grappling with as a society. And that this is actually a very profound opportunity to utilize artwork and the creative practice to have these conversations. And so in the beginning, I was very nervous talking. I think you can hear it. I gave, like, a TEDx talk when I first came home to, like, 2,000 people, and my voice was just crackly. And I look back at that and cringe. But, you know, I think, listen, it's important. This is necessary, and I feel a particular responsibility to use whatever platforms and opportunities I get to be able to advocate for ending mass incarceration. And not just ending it, but supporting systems and structures that actually benefit people and not punish them.

Because I know you're a little bit introverted.

I'm very introverted, yeah.

So you get on the radio and you talk about this. You go up in front of rooms and you talk about it. What gets you motivated at the beginning of every day?

Honestly, I think just all of my friends and loved ones who I know are still inside. And so I know in many ways I'm lucky to have the opportunity to be out here, to be in spaces where people provide a platform. They invite me in to speak. And I think the thing that motivates me and keeps me as ambitious as I am in terms of my practice and what I'm trying to build for others is that, you know, we still have almost 2 million people who are incarcerated. And I think particularly in this cultural moment when cultural institutions are under attack, simultaneously the carceral institutions are expanding. And you know, these are things that have been kind of hard fought for decades and decades and we're seeing a kind of pendulum swing back. And so I think now is like a very important time and there's an urgency and a necessity to support directly impacted artists, to talk about what's happening and to really reclaim the narrative and control it in a way that highlights the dignity and humanity of the people that we're actually talking about.

That was my conversation with formerly incarcerated artist Jesse Crimes. His show is called Corrections. It's open until June 13, and his bed Stuy based organization is called the center for Art and Advocacy. And that is all of it for this hour. We'll have more, including Chicago based conceptual artist Rasheed Johnson, the reopening of the Frick and the Met show featuring some of the earliest forms of American photography. That's all coming up on all of it right after the news.

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