Interstitial

Interstitial is a collaborative, three-channel video installation about relationship-building across the carceral divide. In this piece, Bernie and I interrogate the relational boundary lines drawn by carceral institutions that are both enabled and countered by educational programs taking place in these prisons. Engaging with the system, even as an outsider, requires adherence to its rigid lines and clear delineation of the Other. Although the recognition of difference is a necessary step in undoing the harms of the carceral state, the vast majority of initiatives, such as the Inside-Out program, approach this task without forsaking the existence of boundaries institutionalized by the carceral state. In Interstitial, Bernie and I disclose the different conditions of our lives at our own rhythm, progressively learning from one another. As we share our experiences, the bodies’ shadows begin to overlap, creating a soft space between us where the edges of our physical selves disappear. This piece intervenes in the field of performative documentary to question traditional outsider representations of incarceration as an immutable reality of difference with no potential for relationship or coalition-building. My intention with this project was to transmute basic technical and narrative components within the documentary genre into a form structured only by its own internal rules. The final product is thus an embodied performance and documentation of our collaboration. As viewers step forward into the space, this gesture draws them closer to both of our projected bodies—the first step in a collective act of coalition-building. Interstitial creates space where the walls stand and invites viewers to reimagine their relationship to the prison system and those who live within it.

I was awarded honors in Spring of 2025 for the completion of this multi-channel video installation and essay as part of my B.A. in Media Studies.

Sadie Scott Honors Thesis in Media Studies.pdf

Download PDF • 253KB