14 Days to Go

The title, 14 Days to Go, captures an ominous and uncertain countdown that is etched into the prison wall at the Old Melbourne Gaol. Does it make the days left until freedom, or execution, or something entirely unknown? Through the lens of one prisoner’s etched message, we open up questions about time, fate and the psychological weight of the unknown.

Using the histories of discipline in the Old Melbourne Gaol as a point of departure, this exhibition peels back layers of isolation and identity erosion to encourage contemporary reflections. Through delving into the dehumanisation experienced by prisoners sentenced to contend with sensory deprivation and overstimulation, this exhibition reveals a history that lingers in our current reality and distant future; both within and beyond prison walls. These disciplinary systems strip means of connection and communication, but it is here where we see resistance materialise.

Through recognising the past and providing a space to explore speculative futures, we reveal the endurance that emerges through language and acts of defiance.

Public Events

Guided Tours | Day 1Thu 3 Oct 2024

Multiple times
9:15 AM - 10:15 AM
11:15 AM - 12:15 PM
2:15 PM - 3:15 PM
3:30 PM - 4:30 PM

Guided Tours | Day 2Fri 4 Oct 2024

Multiple times
9:15 AM - 10:15 AM
11:15 AM - 12:15 PM
2:15 PM - 3:15 PM
3:30 PM - 4:30 PM

Wrap Up EventSat 5 Oct 2024

11 AM - 1 PM

The identity system for the exhibition draws inspiration from the design of the exercise yard, influenced by the panopticon style of surveillance. The icons not only represent the different themes explored in various parts of the exhibition but also echo the marks etched on the prison walls—used by inmates as a form of communication and resistance through language.

We would like to acknowledge the Wurundjeri and Boonwurrung people of the Kulin nation, the Traditional Custodians of the land on which the ‘14 Days to Go’ exhibition has been curated, designed, and maintained. We acknowledge the art-making, play and creativity that the Wurundjeri and Boonwurrung people have fostered on these lands. We acknowledge that sovereignty never ceded and we pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging.

© MCD at RMIT University