Phoenix Rising, Part 1: This Is Where I Learned Of Love

Phoenix Rising Saga index

Phoenix Rising, Part 1: This Is Where I Learned Of Love is the first installment in the three-part Phoenix Rising Saga series. Part 1 documents my nine-month incarceration in a California state prison. Photographs accompanied by a book, sculptural elements, and takeaway pocket booklets tell a story of imprisonment, love, revolution, and freedom. It was first exhibited in April 2012 at Commonwealth & Council, Los Angeles, CA and then in March 2013 at Transmission Gallery, Glasgow, Scotland.

Phoenix Rising, Part 1

Phoenix Rising, Part 1: This Is Where I Learned Of Love

Commonwealth & Council

Exhibition Dates: April 14 - May 5, 2012

Press Release

View images on CW&C website

Prison Relics photographer: Patrick Connor

Documentation by Young Chung

  • photograph of Jennifer Moon's California Department of Corrections Identification Card

    Detail of Prison Relic #1: CDC ID

  • documentation photo of a framed photograph with a book on a cardboard shelf underneath the framed photo

    Prison Relic #1: CDC ID. Framed photograph (16x20"), book, cardboard shelf, and chain.

  • documentation photo of a book on a cardboard shelf with a chain attaching the book to the shelf

    Detail of book accompanying each Prison Relic 1-14. This Is Where I Learned Of Love: CDCR 8/18/08 - 5/19/09. Contains commentary for each Prison Relic and excerpts from letters I wrote to my former RP/L (Revolution Partner/Lover) during my incarceration.

  • documentation photo of a narrow hallway containing three framed photographs and three books atop cardboard shelves underneath each framed photo

    Installation view of Prison Relics 11, 12, and 14

  • documentation photo of a room containing four framed photographs and four books atop cardboard shelves underneath each framed photo and sculptural objects on the floor

    Installation view of Prison Relics 2-5 and prison letter objects

  • photograph of a clear plastic typewriter

    Detail of Prison Relic #2: Typewriter

  • documentation photo of a handmade book, a pile of letters with a knife stabbed into it, and three bundles of letters tied with ribbon

    Installation view of prison letter objects

  • documentation photo of a handmade book

    "Dear RP/L...": a story of love, revolution, and freedom (and lack there of). Handmade book containing all the original correspondences between my former RP/L (Revolution Partner/Lover) and me during my incarceration.

  • documentation photo of a bundle of letters tied with ribbon

    Beverly Bundles. Three bundles of original letters from Beverly sealed in epoxy resin and tied with ribbon.

  • documentation photo of a pile of letters with a knife stabbed into it

    Colin Heap. Pile of original letters from Colin with Red Nurse knife. Highlighted text reads, "I fear you may become my own personal Jesus."

  • documentation photo of a room containing sculptural objects on the floor, three framed photographs with three books atop cardboard shelves underndeath each photo, and a desk containing stacks of booklets and a typewriter

    Installation view of prison letter objects, Prison Relics 6-8, and Principle 1 of The Revolution: Definition of Abundance

  • documentation photo of a room containing a desk with stacks of booklets and a typewriter on top of it and two framed photographs with two books atop cardboard shelves underndeath each photo

    Installation view of Principle 1 of The Revolution: Definition of Abundance and Prison Relics 9 and 10

  • documentation photo of a desk with stacks of booklets and a typewriter on top of it

    Principle 1 of The Revolution: Definition of Abundance. Stacks of takeaway pocket booklets, prison typewriter, and desk.

  • documentation photo of stacks of pocket booklets

    Detail of Principle 1 of The Revolution: Definition of Abundance.

  • documentation photo of a note in a typewriter that reads, If you are committed to love, courage, magic, fearless adventuring into the unknown, and continuous expansion for all on this earth and beyond!, please take a booklet.

    Detail of note in prison typewriter

THERE IS NOTHING LEFT BUT FREEDOM

Phoenix Rising, Part 1: This Is Where I Learned Of Love was part of my exhibition at Transmission Gallery as their International Solo Artist for 2012/13. There is Nothing left but Freedom included Phoenix Rising, Part 1, a new photograph, "You can kill my body, but you can't kill my soul", a window mural, and a low ropes course workshop, Boot Camp for Revolutionaries.

Exhibition Dates: March 19 - April 27, 2013

Press Release

View images on Transmission website

Prison Relics and "You can kill my body, but you can't kill my soul" photographer: Patrick Connor

Window mural design by ARCHEFFECT

Documentation by Ruth Clark

  • documentation photo of a large room with three pillars containing eleven framed photographs and eleven books atop cardboard shelves underneath each framed photograph and a green metal desk with a clear plastic typewriter and stacks of booklets on top of it

    Installation view of Prison Relics 3-13 and Principle 1 of The Revolution: Definition of Abundance

  • documentation photo of a framed photograph with a book on a cardboard shelf underneath the framed photo

    Prison Relic #3: Radio/CD Player with Headphones. Framed photograph (20x16"), book, cardboard shelf, and chain.

  • documentation photo of a wall with four hung, framed photographs and four books atop cardboard shelves underneath each framed photograph and a pillar in front of the wall with a green metal desk next to it holding a clear plastic typewriter and stacks of booklets

    Installation view of Prison Relics 1-4 and Principle 1 of The Revolution: Definition of Abundance

  • documentation photo of a green metal desk with stacks of booklets and a clear plastic typewriter on top of it and a note in the typewriter

    Principle 1 of The Revolution: Definition of Abundance. Stacks of takeaway pocket booklets, prison typewriter, and desk. Note in typewriter reads: "If you are committed to love, courage, magic, fearless adventuring into the unknown, and continuous expansion for all on this earth and beyond!, please take a booklet."

  • documentation photo of a room with three pillars containing a large wooden platform, a large framed photograph, and a green metal desk with stacks of booklets and a clear plastic typewriter on top of it

    Installation view of Trust Fall, "You can kill my body, but you can't kill my soul", and Principle 1 of The Revolution: Definition of Abundance

  • documentation photo of a large wooden platform, sculptural objects on the floor behind the platform, and a large framed photograph hung on a wall

    Installation view of Trust Fall, prison letter objects, and "You can kill my body, but you can't kill my soul"

  • documentation photo of a handmade book, a pile of letters with a knife stabbed into it, and three bundles of letters tied with ribbon

    Installation view of "Dear RP/L...": a story of love, revolution, and freedom (and lack there of), Colin Heap, and Beverly Bundles

  • documentation photo of an ornately framed color photograph of Jennifer Moon wearing a beret sitting in a wicker chair holding a microphone in one hand and a staff in the other and a small dog wearing a beret at her feet

    "You can kill my body, but you can't kill my soul" (50 1/4 x 56 1/2")

  • documentation photo of basement containing various objects for a low ropes course workshop

    Installation view of Boot Camp for Revolutionaries workshop

  • documentation photo of a window mural of a white phoenix in outer space with a rainbow trail from its left wing

    Installation view of window mural

  • documentation photo detail of a window mural of a white phoenix with a rainbow trail from its left wing

    Detail of the phoenix

  • documentation photo of one wall of a window mural with text that reads, There is Nothing left but Freedom, Jennifer Moon

    Installation view of the east wall of window mural

  • documentation photo of a large room with three pillars containing eleven framed photographs and eleven books atop cardboard shelves underneath each framed photograph and a green metal desk with a clear plastic typewriter and stacks of booklets on top of it
  • documentation photo of a framed photograph with a book on a cardboard shelf underneath the framed photo
  • documentation photo of a wall with four hung, framed photographs and four books atop cardboard shelves underneath each framed photograph and a pillar in front of the wall with a green metal desk next to it holding a clear plastic typewriter and stacks of booklets
  • documentation photo of a green metal desk with stacks of booklets and a clear plastic typewriter on top of it and a note in the typewriter
  • documentation photo of a room with three pillars containing a large wooden platform, a large framed photograph, and a green metal desk with stacks of booklets and a clear plastic typewriter on top of it
  • documentation photo of a large wooden platform, sculptural objects on the floor behind the platform, and a large framed photograph hung on a wall
  • documentation photo of a handmade book, a pile of letters with a knife stabbed into it, and three bundles of letters tied with ribbon
  • documentation photo of an ornately framed color photograph of Jennifer Moon wearing a beret sitting in a wicker chair holding a microphone in one hand and a staff in the other and a small dog wearing a beret at her feet
  • documentation photo of basement containing various objects for a low ropes course workshop
  • documentation photo of a window mural of a white phoenix in outer space with a rainbow trail from its left wing
  • documentation photo detail of a window mural of a white phoenix with a rainbow trail from its left wing
  • documentation photo of one wall of a window mural with text that reads, There is Nothing left but Freedom, Jennifer Moon

This Is Where I Learned of Love & Definition of Abundance

Book cover for This is Where I Learned of Love: CDCR 8/18/08 - 5/19/09

This Is Where I Learned of Love: CDCR 8/18/08 - 5/19/09 is available in print and as an eBook. Purchase an ePub for only $2.99, available on Lulu and the iBookstore. A collector's print edition of the book is available on Amazon. A limited edition of print copies are also available at the Hammer Museum bookstore and Commonwealth & Council. You can also read the entire book as a PDF here.

photo of Definition of Abundance booklets

Read the 3rd edition of Principle 1 of The Revolution: Definition of Abundance here or print your own!

Remake of a famous Huey P. Newton photograph with Jennifer Moon wearing a beret sitting in a wicker chair holding a staff in one hand and a microphone in the other with Mr. Snuggles at her feet also wearing a beret

Get your FREE poster of "You can kill my body, but you can't kill my soul" at Commonwealth & Council in Los Angeles or Transmission Gallery in Glasgow. Hurry before they run out!

Photo of Jennifer Moon as Bandaid, a stereotypical CDC prisoner

A limited edition of twenty uniquely signed 8 1/2 x 11" glossies of Bandaid available at Commonwealth & Council for $600 each. Pick from the twenty motivational messages below, hand signed by Jennifer Moon. (sorry, all gone!)

  1. Revolution or Death!
  2. Stay hella sweet :)
  3. Hollar! ♡
  4. Courage above all else,
  5. Live without fear,
  6. Let’s do this!
  7. Keep expanding,
  8. Love from faith ♡
  9. Never give up!
  10. The Revolution is right now!
  11. Keep going, my friend
  12. Let’s cupcake together :)
  13. Shed your beliefs!
  14. Stay hella magical!
  15. Faith, trust, courage, and love!
  16. You are enough!
  17. With unwavering unadulterated love,
  18. Let’s absorb into the 3CE, together…
  19. Nothing is impossible!
  20. Stay formless!

Reviews and Press for Phoenix Rising, Part 1

Peter Drew from The Skinny gave There is Nothing left but Freedom at Transmission Gallery three stars. Read the review.

Phoenix Rising, Part 1: This Is Where I Learned Of Love at Commonwealth & Council made Catherine Wagley's "5 Artsy Things to Do" in the LA Weekly.

Frenchy But Chic! wrote about my show at CW&C in her blog.

mural of phoenix in outer space with a rainbow trail from its right wing and the words, There is Nothing left but Freedom - Jennifer Moon

mural design by ARCHEFFECT