Humanitas360 Institute sponsors “From This Side of the Wall” exhibition, launching the Prison Project at former Curitiba detention center
The Humanitas360 Institute and its supporter, PDR Philanthropic Fund, are sponsoring the exhibition “From This Side of the Wall,” which will open on May 1st at the former Centro de Triagem (temporary detention center) on Barão do Rio Branco Street in downtown Curitiba. The exhibition launches the Prison Project and is organized by the Paraná Museum of Image and Sound (MIS-PR) in partnership with Agência Farpa, featuring photographs taken in 18 prisons across seven Latin American countries by photographers Erick Dau, Francisco Proner, and Thiago Dezan.
The exhibition occupies a space that witnessed serious structural problems in the Brazilian prison system. Deactivated in 2023, the temporary detention center was designed to house only 89 people but operated at double that capacity, confining approximately 190 detainees in precarious conditions, with insufficient ventilation, no areas for sunbathing, and inadequate sanitary facilities.
The exhibition’s scenography utilizes original elements such as cells and bars to create an impactful experience. Visitors will be able to enter a former solitary confinement cell where images of prisons will be projected, accompanied by audio recordings of letters written by detainees, providing a sensory contact with the reality of incarceration. The lighting design by award-winning Beto Bruel reinforces the dramatic and claustrophobic atmosphere of prison pavilions.
In addition to the exhibition, the Prison Project includes a complementary program of film screenings, debates, and seminars on the prison system, human rights, and social reintegration. The initiative was developed after extensive research and coordination with institutions such as the Paraná Public Defender’s Office, the Penal Police, the Medical-Legal Institute, and the Human Rights Commission of OAB-PR.
Sponsored by the Humanitas360 Institute and the PDR Philanthropic Fund through the Culture Incentive Law, the exhibition is just the beginning of the repurposing of this emblematic space. Following an agreement between the state departments of Public Security and Culture, the former detention center was annexed to MIS-PR to integrate the Prison Project. The goal is to provoke reflections on the inhumane conditions of Latin American prison systems and stimulate debates on public policies that guarantee the fundamental rights of people deprived of liberty.
“The Humanitas360 Institute believes that transforming the prison system involves raising awareness in society,” says Larissa Itri, legal consultant at H360. “Investing in projects like this is essential to exposing invisible realities and fostering more humane public policies. This initiative is an important step towards promoting reflection, dignity and structural change.”
“For MIS-PR, the participation of the Humanitas360 Institute in the Prison Project represents a powerful synergy toward our objectives,” adds Mirele Camargo, director of MIS. “Their dedication to human rights and the reintegration of former inmates makes the institute much more than a sponsor – it is an essential partner in this initiative for inclusion and constructive debate about the Brazilian prison scenario.”
INFORMATION
Exhibition “From This Side of the Wall” – Prison Project. Open from May 1st, 2025. Tuesday to Friday, from 10 AM to 7 PM, and Saturdays and Sundays from 10 AM to 6 PM. Location: MIS-PR (Former Centro de Triagem – Barão do Rio Branco Street, 399, Curitiba). Free admission.