April 4 – June 28, 2026 | Bedford Library
The Warehouse is a collaboration between artist and writer Vic Liu, organizer Mariame Kaba, and Bedford Library, in conjunction with Justice Initiatives.
Inspired by Liu’s book The Warehouse: A Visual Primer on Incarceration (co-written with James Kilgore), this exhibition spotlights 24 new paintings that examine survival and resistance within prison walls; the emotional distance between "inside" and "outside;" and what the abolition of prisons could look like in practice.
A series of free public programs will accompany the exhibition at Bedford Library, including conversations, workshops, and community gatherings. Come envision a world without incarceration, where care, safety, and accountability can exist beyond punishment.
Programming
Brooklyn Public Library, Bedford Branch
April 4 – June 27, 2026
The Warehouse: Opening Reception and Panel
Sat, Apr 4 | 1:30PM – 4:30PM
April 2026
Saturday, April 4 | 1:30 PM – 4:30 PM
Opening Event: Panel, Music, & First Walk-through
The Warehouse opens with a live panel exploring incarceration and abolition through art and organizing, featuring Rachel Herzing, James Kilgore, and Vic Liu, followed by music and a first walk-through of the exhibition.
Register HERE
Thursday, April 9 | 6:00 PM
TeleStory Dinner & Exhibition Walkthrough | Adult/Teens
As part of BPL's TeleStory program, families of incarcerated community members gather for a shared dinner, support, and a walkthrough of the exhibition alongside youth from the Osborne Association, which supports families impacted by incarceration.
Thursday, April 16 | 7:15 PM – 7:45 PM
Community Sound Bath All Ages
Flutist Paul Wellington leads a restorative community sound bath inviting participants to relax, breathe, and reconnect through immersive sound.
Saturday, April 18 | 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Jail Support 101 Workshop with Parissah Lin | Adult
Abolitionist organizer Parissah Lin leads a practical workshop on how to support people who have been arrested and how to build community-based jail support networks.
Sunday, April 19 | 1:30 PM – 3:30 PM
Abolitionist Tea Party with jackie sumell | Adult/Teens
jackie sumell leads a participatory ritual of tea and dialogue, connecting plants grown by incarcerated people to conversations about abolition and healing.
Tuesday, April 21 | 3:30 PM – 4:30 PM
Kids Create: Dreaming the Future | Children
Kids imagine the future through Afrofuturist art in this creative afterschool workshop led by teaching artist Wéma Ragophala.
Thursday, April 23 | 6:00 PM – 7:30 PM
Film Screening presented by Solidarity Media Network | Adult/Teens
Solidarity Media Network presents films by formerly incarcerated media makers, centering world-building storytelling rooted in justice and care.
*All events are free and open to the public.
May 2026
Thursday, May 7 | 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM
Roots of Resistance Zine Workshop with Booklyn
Booklyn hosts a teen zine-making workshop inspired by The Warehouse exhibition, inviting participants to create handmade books exploring incarceration, resistance, and abolition.
Thursday, May 7 | 6:00 PM – 7:30 PM
Filmmaking Workshop with Echoes of Incarceration | Teens
Award-winning filmmakers from Echoes of Incarceration host a hands-on documentary workshop where teens learn interviewing and storytelling skills.
Sunday, May 10 | 3:00 PM – 4:30 PM
Author Talk: Willie Kearse & Ben Passmore | Adult
Author Willie Kearse and cartoonist Ben Passmore discuss incarceration, justice, and storytelling through writing and comics.
Saturday, May 16
Talking to Children about Incarceration with Mariame Kaba | Adult/Teen
Mariame Kaba leads a practical workshop offering parents, caregivers, and educators tools for discussing incarceration and justice with children.
Two sessions will be offered: 1pm to 2:30 pm and 3 to 4:30 pm
Sunday, May 17 | 3:00-4:30 pm
MELT ICE! Active Patrol and Rapid Response Training | Adult
Organizers from the Citywide Anti-ICE Rapid Response Network host an ICE Watch training focused on community patrol and rapid response to immigration enforcement.
Tuesday, May 19th | 3:30 PM – 4:30 PM
Kids Create: Dreaming the Future | Children
Kids imagine the future through Afrofuturist art in this creative afterschool workshop led by teaching artist Wéma Ragophala.
Thursday, May 21 | 7:15 PM – 7:45 PM
Community Sound Bath | All Ages
Flutist Paul Wellington leads a restorative community sound bath inviting participants to relax, breathe, and reconnect through immersive sound.
Thursday, May 28 | TBD
Welcome Home Dinner & Exhibition Walk-through with Welcome Home Community | Adult
BPL's Welcome Home community hosts a dinner and exhibition walkthrough focused on life after incarceration, community support, and the ongoing work of re-entry.
Saturday, May 30 | 3:00-4:45pm
Information In and Out of Prisons: A Panel | Adult
A panel on storytelling, media, and access to information inside and outside prisons.
*All events are free and open to the public.
June 2026
Thursday, June 4 | 6:00 PM – 7:30 PM
Echoes of Incarceration Screening | All Ages
Award-winning youth filmmakers from Echoes of Incarceration present a screening of documentaries centering lived experience, justice, and the power of youth storytelling.
Tuesday, June 9th | 3:30 PM – 4:30 PM
Kids Create: Dreaming the Future | Children
Kids imagine the future through Afrofuturist art in this creative afterschool workshop led by teaching artist Wéma Ragophala.
Thursday, June 11 | 7:15 PM – 7:45 PM
Community Sound Bath | All Ages
Flutist Paul Wellington leads a restorative community sound bath inviting participants to relax, breathe, and reconnect through immersive sound.
Thursday, June 18
Inside/Outside Book Club with readers from the public, Sing Sing, and Rikers Island | Adult
Saturday, June 20 | 3-4:30pm
Family Film Screening on Incarceration and Abolition | All Ages
A film screening for families exploring themes of incarceration, justice, and abolition — open to all ages and free to attend.
Saturday, June 27 | 11AM-4PM
Abolitionist Fair: Closing Community Celebration | All Ages
The Warehouse closes with a community fair featuring art, music, and tabling from abolitionist organizations including VOCAL-NY, RAPP, Parole Prep Project, and NYC Books Through Bars, alongside a market of goods made and sold by formerly incarcerated people.
*All events are free and open to the public.
The Warehouse is made possible through the collaboration, care, and support of the following individuals and organizations:
Interrupting Criminalization | Mariame Kaba | Mellon Foundation | Vic Liu | Adeeba Afshan Rana | Cesar Castro Christina Ferrari | Colleen Hamilton | Dani Blum | Erica Moroz | Eva Raison | jackie sumell | Janavi Janakiraman | John Snowden | Justice Initiatives Team Bedford Library Staff | Manny Vaz | Radix Media Susie Bannon | Michael Carey | Nadia Tahoun | Shoestring Press | Timely Signs of Kingston
