Jacktown: The Prison that Built Jackson
Blake Matthews
Jacktown: The Prison That Built Jackson, 2021, 4 part mounted digital collage series, 17x23 in.
Artist's Statement
Growing up in Jackson I was only slightly aware of the history of how the city came to be, which turned out to have a terrible past. My research made me aware of the horrific events of Michigan’s first state prison, also known as Jacktown, which was in operation from 1839 to 1934. The prison became infamous for its medieval-like punishments, harsh solitary confinement, a strict code of silence, and poor living conditions. All of these made the prison a place not for rehabilitation, but to disempower and dehumanize people who were sent there.
Today, prisons remain the default option to keep communities “safe,” by separating violent people from the community. However, due to systemic racism and racial biases these perceived “violent” people by the communities are primarily black men. Because they are the default solution, prisons across the United States remain overcrowded, making the goal to rehabilitate nearly impossible. This collage series acknowledges the events of the first state prison in Michigan, and compares its means of operation to that of prisons today.
Research Process
One of my main sources during the project was Judy Gail Krasnow's book Jacktown: History & Hard Times at Michigan's First State Prison. In the book, Krasnow gives a detailed overview of the events of Michigan's First State Prison (MSP), including how the prison came to be in Jackson, and how it changed over the time of its operation.
Aerial view of prison grounds, and related factories that had been established.
Shortly achieving statehood in 1837, Michigan's government officials began plans to establish a state prison. A prison was something that was heavily desired by towns during this time, because of the profit. Inmates at MSP were paid just under 34 cents per day, and 28 cents of this wage had to be given back to the state. This nearly free labor allowed officials of the prison to exploit inmate workers and establish the industrial town that Jackson has become. Because of the pressure to produce, punishments from guards were often related to not making quotas.
Many of the problems with MSP, and prisons today stem from overcrowding, because prisons in the United States are the default way to rid communities of violence. However, due to systemic racism and racial biases, the perceived violence in communities is caused by primarily black men.
Imagemaking Process
My process began by collecting images from Jackson's public library archives, and printing them in various sizes. I then decided which prints should be cut for collage, and which should remain a whole image. After collecting my collage pieces, I went to the sight of the former state prison, which is now Armory Arts village, an artist's residence and community in Jackson. With the help of my younger siblings, I positioned the collage pieces to form interesting compositions with the background at the sight, and took a series of in-camera collage images.
At first, I was not happy with the on-sight images, however my peers in civic studio encouraged me to take a second look. I realized there was a certain materiality to the images that I was drawn to, and I decided to use these as source images for another layer of collage.
I made small adjustments to the on-site images by cutting small viewfinders in the prints. I then used some of the collage pieces I had left over and arranged them under the viewfinders. During this process, it was important for me to keep a close eye on the compositions to make sure the images weren't too busy, or too uninteresting. I then mounted the images on plywood, and installed them in the studio's gallery space.
I came out of a semester of in-depth research and image production with a body of work that represents over a hundred years of history, and systemic issues that still exist today. This work allowed me to further educate myself on these issues, and to communicate them to an audience who may not be aware.
