Art & Krimes by Krimes

This stirring documentary follows local artist Jesse Krimes, who created spectacular works while incarcerated and continues to use his work to inspire and challenge.

Shortly after graduating college, Philly-area artist Jesse Krimes was sentenced to six years in federal prison. There, he began making artwork in his cell using available materials including prison-issued soap, playing cards, and newspaper, building toward an impressive mural that needed to be smuggled out piece by piece. Director Alysa Nahmias tracks the way Krimes maintained his artistic career after prison, continuing to create beautiful, thought-provoking works that captured the attention of the art world. As the film sensitively documents, Krimes must struggle to reconcile the juxtaposition of his burgeoning success with the difficult adjustment to life after incarceration. Using his newfound platform, Krimes calls attention to the injustices of the carceral system in the United States. A powerful look at the freedom found in creation, the film features striking animations by Molly Schwartz in collaboration with Krimes, as well as an original score by Amanda Jones in collaboration with formerly incarcerated musicians.