JustArts Gallery
Tulsa, OK
Elevating the creative voices of people confined to carceral institutions across the US.
MessageCollection: Billie Allen
“My art is the voice of an innocent man. It reflects my refusal to surrender to my situation and circumstances… Through my art, I find freedom.”
– Billie Allen
Artist Billie Allen was unjustly imprisoned for a crime he did not commit and has spent the last 28 years of his life in prison, on Federal Death Row. “Within the confines of a tiny 6’x8’ cell where I spend 23 hours a day, art has the power to set me free!” says Billie Allen.
Billie Allen refuses to wither, stay silent, or to live in the shadows while innocent. With hundreds of completed artworks, Billie Allen remains a relevant and important member of society and art world receiving contemporary awards, articles and exhibitions.
The key to Billie Allen’s mental and physical survival is the daily practice of creating paintings, drawings, collage, mixed-media and interactive installation pieces with outside artists in exhibition spaces.
Billie Allen’s artwork masterfully engages the viewer with his personal story of innocence, injustice, systems of power and corruption, contemporary superheros and the use of historic events and Afro-futurism.
Showing nationally and internationally Allen’s skilled hand, unbridled spirit, and provocative compositions have proven to break down walls and connect humanity. Innocent of the charges, Allen’s artwork and process is his tool for liberation, restoration and resilience.
Please note that all artwork is being shared with the full consent of the artists. Please do not make use of any of the artwork you see here without reaching out to us or the artist directly.
JustArts Gallery (Tulsa, OK) is a not-for-profit, community-rooted project fiscally sponsored by The Third Space Foundation. We partner with systems-impacted artists across the country—most of them currently incarcerated—to host exhibitions and public programs that foster connection and challenge carceral narratives. Our space is a hub for collective learning, healing, and organizing at the intersection of the arts and justice. All proceeds from art sales go directly to the artists or their designated loved ones unless they choose otherwise.
JustArts offers strategic support to organizations, educators, and advocates working to build more just and inclusive arts ecosystems. With over 15 years of experience working with artists in prison, we collaborate with partners nationwide to uplift creative expression as a powerful act of resistance, identity, and possibility.
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