Exhibition and Panel Discussion
Window Into Solitary
Portraits and testimony of 17 men and women who have experienced long-term solitary confinement.
Spencer Lofts Gallery
60 Dudley St, Chelsea, Mass.
Exhibition on display: June 3-30, 2026
Opening Reception & Panel: Saturday, June 13, 6:00-8:30 pm
6:00: Reception
7:00: OG's perform "I Cry for Freedon"
7:15: Panel
Gallery Hours: Saturday, June 20, noon - 5:00 pm. Other dates to be confirmed and posted here.
To visit the gallery at other times, please contact text Darlene DeVita at 617-974-7233.
Street parking available. Please do not park in Spencer Lofts parking
Arthur “Cetewayo” Johnson. Photo by Lori Waselchuk. Arthur “Cetewayo” Johnson spent 51 years in prison on a wrongful conviction — 44 of those years in solitary confinement. He was arrested for murder in 1970, just after turning 18. The case against him relied on a coerced statement from a 15-year-old boy interrogated by police for 21 hours and a “confession” he was manipulated into signing that he was unable to understand because of an intellectual disability and lack of education.“
Window into Solitary is a photography exhibition exposing the cruel and unusual punishment experienced by close to 125,000 of our fellow citizens each day inside prisons across America. The exhibit focuses on 17 formerly incarcerated men and women from across the U.S. who have spent extensive amounts of time in solitary. In addition to powerful photographic images, the exhibit includes written testimony by the participants about their experiences in solitary confinement and their thoughts about its widespread use across the U.S. carceral system. More information on the subjects of the photographs.
Learn how you can help.
Musicians
The OG's (Original Gentlemen)
The OG’s (Original Gentlemen) are a Boston-based R&B vocal group whose sound is rooted in the timeless harmonies of classic soul. Featuring Albert “Shorty Mac” Brown, Jabir Pope, and Josh Fernandes, the trio delivers smooth, heartfelt performances inspired by legends like The Temptations and The Whispers. Each member brings a powerful personal journey, having spent years incarcerated before returning home and channeling their experiences into music that speaks to resilience, redemption, and hope. Known for their rich vocal blend and emotional depth, The OG’s create performances that are both entertaining and deeply moving—whether singing beloved classics or original songs like “I Cry Freedom.”
Panelists
Christopher Blackwell
Christopher Blackwell is serving a 45-year prison sentence in Washington State. He co-founded Look 2 Justice, an organization that provides civic education to system-impacted communities and actively works to pass sentence and policy reform legislation. He is the author, with Deborah Zalesne, of Ending Isolation: The Case Against Solitary Confinement. His writing has been published by The Washington Post, The New York Times, The Boston Globe, HuffPost, Insider, and many more outlets.
Bonnie Tenneriello
Bonnie Tenneriello is a Senior Staff Attorney and Solitary Confinement Project Director at Prisoners' Legal Services of Massachusetts (PLS), where she focuses on litigating solitary confinement practices, prison conditions, and advocating for an end to inhumane prison conditions and reducing the footprint of incarceration. She is also a vocal advocate for ending the use of jails for addiction treatment.
Albert Brown
Albert Brown was wrongfully convicted, alongside Jabir Pope, of a Boston murder and spent 38 years in prison in Massachusetts. He was freed in June 2022, and was granted a new trial in October 2022, due to official misconduct, including the failure of prosecutors to turn over exculpatory evidence. All charges against him were dropped in December 2022. Albert has spoken at many forums and symposiums on incarceration, including Harvard University’s “When the Inmates Ran Walpole”, Brown University’s “Live Oral History with the Mass Incarceration Lab”, and Northeastern University’s “Student Alliance for Prison Reform”. He is a talented musician, loving partner, and a member of the OG's.
Other panelists to be determined
Photographers
Lori Waselchuk, Philadelphia
Brian Branch-Price, New York
Deborah Espinosa, Seattle
Brian Frank, San Francisco
Exhibition produced by
Co-sponsors of Chelsea Exhibition
For more information, contact:
Glenn Ruga
glenn@socialdocumentary.net
