de Saisset Museum Features Two Photography Exhibits That Address the Subject of Wrongful Convictions

Business Wire, April 18, 2006

SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- Two exhibitions that provide a unique perspective on the life of wrongly condemned individuals will open at the de Saisset Museum at Santa Clara University on May 2, 2006.

The Innocents: Headshots features 45 large-scale color portraits of individuals who were falsely accused and convicted. The dramatic photographs, by award-winning photographer Taryn Simon, bring the viewer face to face with individuals falsely accused and convicted. Diverse in age, gender and ethnicity, each individual provides undeniable personal evidence of the ramifications of wrongful conviction. The exhibition has been produced in collaboration with the Innocence Project, a national organization dedicated to freeing the wrongly convicted and making the criminal justice system more equitable and reliable.

In the exhibit A Life Reclaimed: The Journey of Recent Exoneree, Alan Crotzer photographer Vance Jacobs documents exoneree Alan Crotzer's attempt to rebuild his life after spending almost 25 years in prison for a crime he didn't commit. The exhibits will be on view from May 2 to July 1, 2006.

"The exhibits highlight Santa Clara University's commitment to social justice," said Rebecca Schapp, director of the de Saisset Museum. "The compelling photographs and stories included in these exhibitions reveal the personal tragedy and pain that remains long after the subjects have been freed," she added.

"The exhibit showcases the importance of exonerating the wrongly convicted and the essential role organizations such as the Northern California Innocence Project (NCIP) play in this process," said Kathleen Ridolfi, law professor and director of the Northern California Innocence Project at SCU.

In conjunction with this exhibit, the de Saisset Museum will host

--a performance of "Barred from Life" on Wed., May 3 at 7 p.m.

--a panel discussion on wrongful convictions Thurs., May 4 at 7 p.m.

An original, solo dance performance, "Barred from Life" features a combination of dance movement, video imagery, excerpts from video interviews with a number of exonerees, readings of names, and an original score by composer True Rosaschi. Created and performed by David J. Popalisky, assistant professor in dance, in collaboration with Kathleen Ridolfi, director of NCIP, this performance work illuminates the human experience of individuals convicted for crimes they did not commit. The performance, which takes place in a spartan, confined set that symbolizes a prison cell, portrays an innocent man's mental states as he goes through his ordeal.

The panel discussion will be moderated by Kathleen Ridolfi, Director of the Northern California Innocence Project. Panelists will include photographer Vance Jacobs, choreographer David Popalisky, and recent exonerees. Panelists will discuss their involvement in artistic projects focused on the subject of wrongful convictions and reflect on the ways that visual and performing art can be used as important tools to explore and communicate the complex experiences of the exonerated.

About the de Saisset Museum

The de Saisset Museum at Santa Clara University is the South Bay's free museum of art and history. The museum was founded adjacent to the Mission Santa Clara de Asis on the Santa Clara University campus in 1955 and is one of only two museums in the South Bay accredited by the American Association of Museums. The de Saisset Museum collects, preserves, exhibits, and interprets objects of art and history for the educational and cultural enrichment of all people. The museum achieves its mission through an active program of exhibitions, collections, education programs, and publications.

About Santa Clara University

Santa Clara University, a comprehensive Jesuit, Catholic university located in California's Silicon Valley, offers its 8,397 students' rigorous undergraduate curricula in arts and sciences, business, and engineering, plus master's and law degrees. Distinguished nationally by the fourth-highest graduation rate among all U.S. masters' universities, California's oldest higher-education institution demonstrates faith-inspired values of ethics and social justice. More information is online at www.scu.edu.