Ahmed M was making a speech to members of the Pentonville prison art group. It concerned prison food. “They say a picture speaks a thousand words,” he said. “If only my tastebuds could paint a picture. Being a big foodie has made food an issue for me at HMP Pentonville. Before I even arrived here, for the second time, I was dreading how much weight I would lose.”
When Ahmed M finished reading his text, the art room at Pentonville erupted. Surrounded by walls of art made by past members, the group cheered so loudly that Ahmed could not help but smile. The previous week, the art group had volunteered him to write the introduction to We Are What We Eat, a booklet on prison food which the group had been working on for months. Ahmed’s pithy yet lyrical writing was the final piece of work needed for the project. With more than 50 artworks completed, a long list of quotes agreed on and the inclusion of candid photographs of their wing’s servery, the group had pulled off what at one point had seemed impossible.
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