Prison Nation: A Photographic Examination of Incarceration

Lucas Foglia’s powerful photography sheds light on the significant issue of mass incarceration in the United States. As the country with only 4.4 percent of the world’s population, it astonishingly holds nearly 25 percent of the world’s prisoners. This discrepancy invites critical reflection on the complexities surrounding incarceration.

The US has 4.4 percent of the world's population but nearly 25 percent of the world's prisoners. This photo was shot at the Rikers Island jail complex in New York. — The US has 4.4 percent of the world’s population but nearly 25 percent of the world’s prisoners. This photo was shot at the Rikers Island jail complex in New York.

Through the exhibition “Prison Nation,” showcased at New York’s Aperture Foundation, audiences are invited to explore the enduring crisis of mass incarceration through the lens of photography. This exhibition stands as a crucial dialogue surrounding the realities of those affected by the prison system.

Prison Nation, an exhibition at New York's aperture foundation and a connected issue of Aperture magazine, looks at this crisis through the lens of photography. — “Prison Nation,” an exhibition at New York’s Aperture Foundation looks at this crisis through the lens of photography.

The works of various photographers, including Deborah Luster, document the lives of inmates and shine a light on the largest maximum-security prison in the United States, the notorious Louisiana State Penitentiary, often referred to as Angola. This prison’s history connects deeply to the plantation that once occupied its grounds, drawing a poignant parallel to the ongoing cycle of incarceration in America.