Pyrrhic Defeat is a portrait series that humanizes incarcerated individuals, shedding light on the immense human cost of mass incarceration in America. These portraits offer a dignified, intimate view of the men with whom I was incarcerated, challenging the stigmatizing image of those within the prison system.
The title references pyrrhic defeat theory, which is the idea that those with the power to change a system benefit from the way it currently works. This theory suggests that the intentions of the criminal justice system are the very opposite of common expectations; it functions the way it does in order to fail at rehabilitation and crime prevention, amounting in a $182 billion dollar victory for the prison industrial complex.
I am expanding my focus to include portraits of advocates for criminal justice reform. This evolution of the project highlights not only those affected by incarceration but also the individuals fighting to change the system. These reformers, many of whom advocate for prison abolition and systemic change, represent a collective push toward reimagining justice in America. Through this broader lens, my work emphasizes that true reform is a shared responsibility.