By Thomas Michael Voss

Art by offeneders is a project brought to life by the Koestler Trust which had its 50th birthday recently. The Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre is currently exhibiting some of this art which is on sale to the public. To my own surprise the art is by far better than I had imagined and I very quickly had gathered a short list of at least three works I wanted to buy on the spot, which is rather unusual due to my natural pickiness or limitations of funds.

The idea to be able to afford large pieces of real art, the thought of the art coming straight out of prison and the specualtions about what crime the offeneder of the pieces I liked might have committed and how this entire project including me buying for cash might affect the prisoners got me into a right frenzy. I instantly fell in love with the concept. I must point out at this stage that I am teaching homeless people how to ballroom dance for charity once a week and I could see some potential paralels. I didn't know for sure though so I wanted to find out. I simply couldn't get enough of the art pieces neither.

So I made a few things happen and I went to the place of origin. Yes, you guessed it in one - I went into prison. I looked through 8.500 pieces and works of art in an afternoon! Exhausting and exhillarating at the same time. I walked away with 5 art works of which 3 were gifts for people I love.

'Being in prison leaves its imprint on you for the rest of your life. This trauma can turn you into a neurotic, but it can also act as stimulant with positive effects. The prisoner's worst enemy is boredom, depression, the slow death of thought.'

But it isn't all just about the prisoner. 25% of the takings will go to a victim support organisation which I love and think is absolutely right so.

Please, bare in mind with prisoners and homeless people that everyone, every single person has got their own individual story. The problems, reasons and circumstances are individual and complicated. What you see is only the end result, the arrival point. The crime/ (homelessness) is not the only reason, that was the final straw to the result. How it got this is usually a more complex, a combination of elements coming together. That takes looking back into the past a lot further back. Often to do with childhood experiences and traumas, lack of support, regualrity, discipline and love. That are the ingredients and seeds usually for going of the rails besides many other things.

So don't judge abook by its cover. There is a story, a soul and feelings. Hidden, disguised and forgotten sometimes, but they are all there.

Rather then judging I think it is crucial to find ways to help and support. Whether that is by finding and learning new skills, to keep your mind pre-occupied from depression, and focusing on positive things and producing something rather than getting caught up in negative plans of reoffending and being lost in a dark world.

A step out, a step forward I think is for sure always more worth trying rather than keeping stuck in a rott.

I am all for this project.

The exhibition is still on at Southbank and is called ' Catching Dreams'  

Thomas Michael Voss