A sign in one of the pavilions of Vernissage, Yerevan’s open-air art market, reads “Prison Art”. The unusual placard, surely unique in Armenia, refers to artisan products made and sold by detainees thanks to the “Support to Prisoners” Foundation established by the Ministry of Justice in 2005.
Ruben [not his real name] was already an artist when he entered Kosh - a skilled silversmith, he has focused on perfecting his art and is now one of the facility’s most refined masters. He shapes statues and makes tasbihs.
“Before being jailed, I studied Law and Psychology, but I did not manage to finish either course,” he says. “When I started working, the time started to pass more quickly. I am left with no idle time, plus I make a profit. Also, the administration treats working prisoners differently”, says Ruben, who will be out of Kosh’s high walls in December.
For Anna, working at the stall has not been an issue. The bottom line is, what underlines the difference, she wonders. “Whether the maker is free or in prison, the object does not change, what matters is the product. ”
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