An Accumulation of Prison Correspondence. From the series "Black is the Day, Black is the Night" © Amy Elkins
Concrete Study #2. From the series "Black is the Day, Black is the Night" © Amy Elkins
19/32 (Not the Man I Once Was). Portrait of a man 19 years into his life without parole (solitary) sentence where the ratio of years spent in prison to years alive determined the level of image loss. From the series "Black is the Day, Black is the Night" © Amy Elkins
Three Years out of a Life Sentence (Sky). A pen pal serving a life w/o possibility of parole sentence in solitary confinement. He was able to see the sky through a metal grated skylight for one hour a day. The other 23 hours were spent in isolation. From the series "Black is the Day, Black is the Night" © Amy Elkins
Fourteen Years out of a Life Sentence (Sky). The images were made using appropriated images which were then composited to account for the number of years he had spent in prison. From the series "Black is the Day, Black is the Night" © Amy Elkins
Nineteen Years out of a Life Sentence (Sky). From the series "Black is the Day, Black is the Night" © Amy Elkins
14 Explosions, September 22, 2009 6:22 PM. A piece created as a reaction to a pen pal's execution by lethal injection. In a poem he once wrote, "Metamorphosis is complete, illustrious beauty, unique." From the series "Black is the Day, Black is the Night" © Amy Elkins
Prison Food Tray acquired from Ebay. From the series "Black is the Day, Black is the Night" © Amy Elkins
13/32 (Not the Man I Once Was). Portrait of a man 13 years into his death row sentence, where the ratio of years spent in prison to years alive determined the level of image loss. From the series "Black is the Day, Black is the Night" © Amy Elkins
Four Years out of a Death Row Sentence (Forest). A pen pal describes a childhood memory of taking refuge in the forest throughout his youth. This image was constructed out of appropriated images and composited to reflect the number of years spent in prison. From the series "Black is the Day, Black is the Night" © Amy Elkins
Nine Years out of a Death Row Sentence (Forest). This image was constructed out of appropriated images and composited to reflect the number of years spent in prison. From the series "Black is the Day, Black is the Night" © Amy Elkins
Sketch of a death row cell interior by a then 32-year-old man who has been serving time on death row for over 13 years. From the series "Black is the Day, Black is the Night" © Amy Elkins
Diego Rivera (Loss). A man serving a life w/o parole sentence in solitary confinement describes how he made his cell feel more like home. At one point, he decorated his cell with Diego Rivera prints. These were torn down numerous times during shakedowns. He finally decided to leave his walls bare. From the series "Black is the Day, Black is the Night" © Amy Elkins
14/38 (Not the Man I Once Was). Portrait of a man 14 years into his death row sentence, where the ratio of years spent in prison to years alive determined the level of image loss. From the series "Black is the Day, Black is the Night" © Amy Elkins
12 Years out of a Death Row Sentence (Dying Wish — Ratama Tree). A pen pal facing his swiftly approaching execution describes his dying wish. This image was then constructed from his description using appropriated images and layered to account for how long he had been in prison. From the series "Black is the Day, Black is the Night" © Amy Elkins
12 Years out of a Death Row Sentence (Dying Wish — Ratama Tree). A pen pal facing his swiftly approaching execution describes his dying wish. This image was then constructed from his description using appropriated images and layered to account for how long he had been in prison. From the series "Black is the Day, Black is the Night" © Amy Elkins
Ballpoint pen drawing on paper, folded into a card. Sent from a then 33-year-old man who has been in prison since the age of 13. Since 16, he has spent most of his time in solitary confinement. From the series "Black is the Day, Black is the Night" © Amy Elkins
15/30 (Not the Man I Once Was). Portrait of a man 15 years into his life sentence, where the ratio of years spent in prison to years alive determined the level of image loss. From the series "Black is the Day, Black is the Night" © Amy Elkins
4 Years out of a Death Row Sentence (Desert). A pen pal describes the landscape he grew up with while also sharing the memory of the night he and two young men set off on a road trip which ended with him being charged for second degree murder and robbery charges at the age of 15. From the series "Black is the Day, Black is the Night" © Amy Elkins
10 Years out of a Death Row Sentence (Desert). This image was constructed from his description using appropriated images and layered to account for how long he had been in prison. From the series "Black is the Day, Black is the Night" © Amy Elkins
Envelope art sent from Death Row, San Quentin. From the series "Black is the Day, Black is the Night" © Amy Elkins
Christmas card from death row, Mississippi State Penitentiary. From the series "Black is the Day, Black is the Night" © Amy Elkins
Pencil Sketch of a Woman sent from Death Row. Georgia Department of Corrections. From the series "Black is the Day, Black is the Night" © Amy Elkins
Letter written in 2010 by a man on Death Row in Mississippi, describing a fellow inmates execution. 2 years later his execution also took place, despite the many appeals he had filed in attempts to save his life. From the series "Black is the Day, Black is the Night" © Amy Elkins
13/32 (Not the Man I Once Was). Portrait of a man 13 years into his death row sentence, where the ratio of years spent in prison to years alive determined the level of image loss. From the series "Black is the Day, Black is the Night" © Amy Elkins
Three Years out of a Death Row Sentence (River). A pen pal describes being baptized several years ago. The Father had to reach through the bars to touch him. Despite the barrier, he remembers the touch as electric. From the series "Black is the Day, Black is the Night" © Amy Elkins
Thirteen Years out of a Death Row Sentence (River). Despite the act of the baptism, he feared it wasn't good enough to save him. He longed to do a full submersion baptism in a river, like Jesus. This image was then constructed from his description of the river, adjusted for his years in prison. From the series "Black is the Day, Black is the Night" © Amy Elkins
Handmade Jump Rope (torn and braided bed sheet) as described by a man who spent 15 years in solitary confinement on death row before being executed in March of 2012. Mississippi State Penitentiary. From the series "Black is the Day, Black is the Night" © Amy Elkins
Return to Sender — "Deceased". Returned from Mississippi State Penitentiary. From the series "Black is the Day, Black is the Night" © Amy Elkins
26/44 (Not the Man I Once Was). Portrait of a man 26 years into a prison sentence (17 of which had been spent on death row), where the ratio of years spent in prison to years alive determined the level of image loss. From the series "Black is the Day, Black is the Night" © Amy Elkins
Twenty-Two Years out of a Death Row Sentence (Ocean). A pen pal described an early childhood memory that haunted him, of walking further and further into the ocean during low tide, until the sudden depth and darkness overcame him with fear. From the series "Black is the Day, Black is the Night" © Amy Elkins
Twenty-Six Years out of a Death Row Sentence (Ocean). This image was constructed out of appropriated images and composited to account for the number of years he had spent in prison. From the series "Black is the Day, Black is the Night" © Amy Elkins
Concrete Study #1 © Amy Elkins
17/35 (Not the Man I Once Was). Portrait of a man 17 years into his death row sentence, where the ratio of years spent in prison to years alive determined the level of image loss.© Amy Elkins
Eight Years out of a Death Row Sentence (Cave). A pen pal describes growing up in Southern California and the cave he and his friends gathered at as teens. From the series "Black is the Day, Black is the Night" © Amy Elkins
Seventeen Years out of a Death Row Sentence (Cave). This image was constructed out of appropriated images and composited to account for the number of years he had spent in prison. From the series "Black is the Day, Black is the Night" © Amy Elkins