‘Confliction’ Photography Installation Shines Light on West Des Moines Women’s Work

Based on a news release:

“Confliction,” a photographic portrayal of the isolation felt by children of the incarcerated displayed in the setting that significantly impacts their lives, opens at 10 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 14, at t the Polk County Jail in downtown Des Mones.

The installation is open until 7 p.m. that night, and then again on Sunday, Sept. 15, from noon-5 p.m.

An extremely immersive installation, “Confliction” features the  the photographic work of Ben Easter, whose photography is known for it's unique foray into human emotion by juxtaposing the visual with the unseen. In this exhibit, Easter's work reveals the conflict between joy and pain which informs the lives of children of incarcerated parents. Prison bars are constructed of metal and steel, but the unseen bars of  incarceration for The exhibit is housed on the eighth floor of the historic former Polk county jail in downtown Des Moines.  

“The experience will captivate it's audience as it leads the viewers through the detention processing center, where they will enter the elevators and ascend to lockdown,” said Jolene Pfaff of West Des Moines, who along with another West Des Moines woman founded Empowering Children of Incarcerated Parents.

The jail, which is now only partly used, has a haunting and surreal sense of abandonment. And the emotionally moving content of Easter's work is symphonic in the setting.”

Read more about the impetus for Pfaff and DeSomber’s nonprofit here: West Des Moines Women Reach Out to Kids with Incarcerated Parents

Pfaff said “Confliction” empowers children of the imprisoned to speak out to  create awareness of their unique and devastating circumstances.

"Confliction" is scheduled for its second exhibition opening Sept. 20 in Paris, France.

The installation is a collaboration of:

Ian Miller (Thee Eye): Curator;

Ben Easter (Ben Easter Photography): Photographer;

Jacob Moyer (Luminary Creative): Cinematographer;

Joy DeSomber & Jolene Pfaff (Empowering Children of Incarcerated Parents): co-founders, under the leadership of The Ashcraft Library Project - Empowering Children

Watch the video.