New Chase Exhibit Shows Creativity Of Troubled Teens

When I first read about the next show to appear at the Chase Gallery, where I do most of my art reviews, I thought, “Cool, a show with only work done by kids who have been incarcerated. That’s something you don’t see every day.”

As I thought more about it, I wondered, because I’m a teenager and am writing for a teen page in the newspaper, how this show could really affect us.

So I called the Arts Commission at City Hall and got in contact with Ralph Busch, who is the outreach coordinator. He sent me a catalog of all the art work that will be displayed in “Insight Out: A Different Perspective.” I opened it up and was blown away! The art I was looking at was some of the most creative and insightful I have ever had the privilege of reviewing.

One of the biggest reasons this show means so much to me is that I, like many of you, have been affected by juvenile crime. I have friends who fall into the category of “troubled teens” so I have stared this problem in the face one too many times.

I’m on the other side of that line that separates “bad” from “good.” I’m in many teen groups and volunteer my time at many facilities. I have spent much of my time arguing with people, teens as well as adults, that just because a teen has committed a crime and has been sent to a detention center does not mean they don’t have a right to express their feelings.

This show proves my point. It contains visual art and written work from youth in five Washington state juvenile rehabilitation institutions. Over 200 youth at these facilities produced the art work for the exhibit. Busch also told me he was planning to gather art from local juvenile rehabilitation centers to add to the show.

The exhibit is touring the state as the result of a partnership between Washington’s Department of Social and Health Services, Juvenile Rehabilitation Administration and the Washington State Historical Society’s Experimental Gallery. Spokane is just one of five communities that “Insight Out: A Different Perspective” is visiting.

Even if you have disregarded all of the other exhibits I have reviewed in this paper, please don’t overlook this one. The art work is so good and the message so strong that you will not regret going.

“Insight Out” is showing at the Chase Gallery in Spokane’s City Hall from now through Jan. 12, Mondays through Fridays from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. A reception will be held on Friday from 5 to 7 p.m., followed by a panel discussion on the “Ins and Outs of Juvenile Justice,” featuring local juvenile justice system workers. As always, admission is free. Hope to see you there!