The Brooklyn Public Library's Bedford Library will debut The Warehouse, a new exhibition and public programming series that examines mass incarceration, the experiences of people behind bars and the ripple effects imprisonment has on families and communities. Opening April 4, the exhibition is free and open to the public and will run through June 27.
The project is a collaboration between Brooklyn-based artist and writer Vic Liu and abolitionist organizer Mariame Kaba. Featuring more than two dozen large-scale paintings, the exhibition offers an intimate visual exploration of life inside U.S. prisons while encouraging visitors to reflect on alternative approaches to safety, care and accountability beyond punishment plus incarceration.
The exhibition builds on Liu’s book, The Warehouse: A Visual Primer on Mass Incarceration, co-written with James Kilgore. Through vivid artwork and storytelling, the project invites viewers to confront the realities of the current prison system while imagining new possibilities for justice and community safety.
"To build a world without prisons we must not be afraid to bear witness to the one we live in today. We must be brave enough to look into the abyss and let it change us," said Liu.
Located in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Bedford Library has long served a neighborhood known for its deep African American history and strong legacy of community activism. In Bed-Stuy, incarceration affects an estimated three in five families.
Across the United States, roughly 1.2 million people are currently incarcerated in prisons and jails. The consequences often extend far beyond prison walls. Lost wages and employment barriers can leave families vulnerable to housing instability and poverty, creating cycles that are difficult to break.
The exhibition also highlights histories of resistance within prisons, centering the lived experiences of incarcerated people and the collective struggles that have shaped movements for prison reform and abolition.
Organizers say the exhibition arrives at a moment when conversations about incarceration, including the growth of immigrant detention, are increasingly urgent. By presenting visual storytelling alongside public programming, the project aims to deepen public understanding of the prison system and encourage visitors to imagine alternatives to criminalization.
In addition to the artwork, The Warehouse will feature a series of free public programs throughout the spring and summer, offering opportunities for discussion, education and community engagement around incarceration, justice, plus the future of public safety.
