JAILED graffiti artist TJ Dolan has defended the "positive messages" his street art has on community work in a letter to the Macclesfield Express penned from his prison cell.
The 20-year-old Sutton resident, who was sentenced to 15 months for graffiti vandalism on trains, also expressed gratitude for support he and Thomas Whittaker – who was sent down for one year for the same offence – have received from readers since their sentencing.
TJ, up until his incarceration, was working on projects with underprivileged young people in Manchester and the pair are now using their artistic skills to assist fellow inmates.
In a letter sent from Deerbolt Prison, Co Durham, TJ said: "I’m just writing to say thank you to everybody that has been involved in making people aware of our case, written to us and commented on the relevant sites. Without your help, this time would be a lot more difficult – so thank you.
"I’ve received responses from people and places I’ve never known. Lovely poems and letters from family and friends and people who I’ve helped in the past and totally forgotten about.
"A young girl wrote me a beautiful poem and described how I didn’t know her but had helped her from getting bullied whilst she was at the park some time ago.
"She went on to say she had gone to her headmaster after hearing about my sentence to see whether she could put posters up around the school about my work, but he dubbed it as being ‘unsuitable to be involved in’, regardless of the fact I worked in a youth work environment."
He added: "It’s simply ‘positive messages through art’ – working on a range of issues in relevant communities.
"Issues which every day are spoken about on the news across the country asking what we can do about these things.
"But people spouting theories rather than finding solutions obviously want to these issues to carry on by sending down someone who works effortlessly to stop these cultures through gaining respect via artworks, which would not otherwise be possible.
"For example, last week me and Tom were helping out in the ‘adult support room’ where we are helping people who have difficulty writing, reading and doing maths.
"As soon as we walked in a guy was giving it out, but within around ten minutes, from hurling abuse, he came and sat with me and helped me tidy up these cups. His teacher asked him to help her before, and he refused.
"But when I asked he was obliged to help – all because he asked why I was in and wrote his name in graffiiti-style letters. And straight away from then he listened and learned.
"Simple things get through to people and can help them behave because they’re getting something back. Children take it easier, but even adults can learn through art.
"The fact that we are getting on in prison with all the inmates and staff to me is a positive thing; it’s giving me the opportunity to learn from people and gain extra/further insights into the work I do in Manchester. Some of the kids/young adults will be able to relate to me further from this unfortunate situation."
A benefit gig is being held for the jailed pair in Jabez Clegg, Manchester, on Sunday, October 7, featuring TJ’s brother’s band The Virgin Marys.
Tweet
Showing comments 1 to 7 and replies | View All
Leigh Turner (05/10/2007 at 15:34)
From the letter they still do not appear to be showing any remorse. Think of the damage that they did. The most annoying thing is that some silly little airhead at the Express is publicising and championing their cause.
What about raising money for the East Lancs Railway volunteers, or must anarchy and yobs, YES yobs rule. As for teaching people in Prison how to use a tag, words fail me.
Michael S, Surrey (05/10/2007 at 19:02)
Nobody who supports these artists, nor they themselves, deny that they did wrong. They have said as much, quite clearly, and sincerely regret their actions. Had they received a more appropriate sentence they may well by now have taken part in the restorative process. Instead, the justice that was meted out and deemed exemplary and necessary excluded that aspect.
These are young people and though prison will not be an experience they will want to repeat, you will not get sackcloth and ashes for your remorse. Instead, whilst incarcerated, they are clearly taking a positive and useful role in that part of a sentence that so often does not happen: the rehabilitation and development of their other skills. Good luck to them and to the people they are helping and to the Express for reporting the facts. The people championing their cause are the many who believe in them.
Immy A, Macc (07/10/2007 at 19:29)
slinkywizard, Macclesfield (08/10/2007 at 10:10)
The Macclesfield express does not usually support graffiti artists, why are these 2 getting so much press?
Geoff Brewin (11/10/2007 at 08:44)
What a brutal and barbaric place we live in. Are we all happy where we live now?
Are you any safer? Are you any happier?
As I re-enter the cultural desert that is Macclesfield the only thing that brighten ups the dour grey landscape is the wonderful mosaic of pictures I can see.
Why is one of the select gifted artists in Macclesfield imprisoned for brightening up the place?
I¿ve just come back from East Berlin where they know a little bit about repressive regimes and where graffiti in the past was the only way to express yourself and stay protected. It seems that people here in Macca are so divorced from their landscape that they have no way to decide what their surrounding and future look like ( unless they work for one of the mono-culture `Joes-homes¿ groups carving up deals in the town).
This case has got less to do with objections about vandalism and more with a strange determination NEVER to change anything. You heard the man from the miniature railway `forward into the past¿. Unfortunately in Macclesfield and Buxton they¿ve got it so wrong; they force the youth not to work with them but work counter to them. Where is the outlet?
East Berlin still has its own massive problems but development just would not work without the younger generations. There I found people writing grafitai on the actual Former Berlin Wall in Mauer Park perfectly legitimately. Even though some sections of the wall are preserved as historic relics, it is important to remember the wall came down for a purpose and change has to happen. When did the buildings & heritage become more important than people. The graffiti in Macclesfield is not mindless, even just in tags names or lewd pictures it is a reflection on what is not being done in Macclesfield.
[So fuddy duddy lets kick the s**t out of creativity in and around the borough and lets stifle anything new: WHAT WE ALREADY HAVE LOOKS SO GOOD.
Lets turn Macclesfield into one big nursing home as planned and lets imprison everyone under 25¿ ]
Congratulations to the all judges in their miscarriage of justice.
Well done Macc express for airing everyone's views
Anonymous Bosch
Geoff Brewin (11/10/2007 at 09:29)
What a brutal and barbaric place we live in. Are we all happy where we live now?
Are you any safer? Are you any happier?
As I re-enter the cultural desert that is Macclesfield the only thing that brighten ups the dour grey landscape is the wonderful mosaic of pictures I can see.
Why is one of the select gifted artists in Macclesfield imprisoned for brightening up the place?
I¿ve just come back from East Berlin where they know a little bit about repressive regimes and where graffiti in the past was the only way to express yourself and stay protected. It seems that people here in Macca are so divorced from their landscape that they have no way to decide what their surrounding and future look like ( unless they work for one of the mono-culture `Joes-homes¿ groups carving up deals in the town).
This case has got less to do with objections about vandalism and more with a strange determination NEVER to change anything. You heard the man from the miniature railway `forward into the past¿. Unfortunately in Macclesfield and Buxton they¿ve got it so wrong; they force the youth not to work with them but work counter to them. Where is the outlet?
East Berlin still has its own massive problems but development just would not work without the younger generations. There I found people writing grafitai on the actual Former Berlin Wall in Mauer Park perfectly legitimately. Even though some sections of the wall are preserved as historic relics, it is important to remember the wall came down for a purpose and change has to happen. When did the buildings & heritage become more important than people. The graffiti in Macclesfield is not mindless, even just in tags names or lewd pictures it is a reflection on what is not being done in Macclesfield.
[So fuddy duddy lets kick the s**t out of creativity in and around the borough and lets stifle anything new: WHAT WE ALREADY HAVE LOOKS SO GOOD.
Lets turn Macclesfield into one big nursing home as planned and lets imprison everyone under 25¿ ]
Congratulations to the all judges in their miscarriage of justice.
Well done Macc express for airing everyone's views
Anonymous Bosch
midway, West Germany (31/10/2007 at 19:17)