Imagining Abolition: State Blues is open now through March 13, 2026, in the Storyteller's Gallery is located on the second floor of Louella Hodges Reese Hall on the OSU Newark campus.

The exhibition, which was made possible by a Spark Grant from the Mellon Foundation and the Ohio Prison Education Exchange Project (OPEEP), features Returning Artists Guild (RAG) artists exploring the lived realities, emotional labor, and visionary power involved in creating a future beyond punishment and incarceration. This exhibition is grounded in the belief that abolition is not about tearing down for the sake of destruction—it is about building something better. It is about first imagining and then practicing systems rooted in care, accountability, and real safety for all people.

Many of the works in this show are shaped by the passage of time—time lost, time stretched, time marked by creativity and resistance. Some pieces directly confront the violence and failures of the prison-industrial complex. Others focus on resilience, healing, and the quiet power of creative practice. Together, these artists ask:

• What does it mean to contribute when you’ve already given everything?
• How do we know when we’re doing the work, and when we’re burning out?
• How do we grieve and celebrate at once?
• What does a free future look like—and what does it take to get there?

Imagining Abolition: State Blues is not about erasing systems without a plan. It is about confronting harm, holding space for healing, and doing the hard, necessary work of dreaming a free future into existence.

All are welcome to the opening reception on Friday, February 6th, from 11:30am - 12:30pm in the Lindorf Family Foundation Lounge, located right outside of the gallery.

Story written by Aimee Wissman and Kamisha Thomas, Co-Founders RAG (Returning Artists Guild)