nprbooks:In 1895, celebrated writer Oscar Wilde was convicted ofhomosexual activity and sentenced to
nprbooks:In 1895, celebrated writer Oscar Wilde was convicted ofhomosexual activity and sentenced to two years in the infamous Reading Gaol. The British prison closed 2013, but it has just reopened for an unusual artexhibition; “Inside” features installations and texts inspired by theprison and Wilde’s experiences there.Cells where solitary prisoners counted down the days are nowfilled with art. And every Sunday, a different performer reads Wilde’s De Profundis – the 50,000-word letter hewrote to his lover and betrayer – in front of the original door to Wilde’scell. Organizers say it wasn’t hard to enlist an A-list cast of readers,including Ralph Fiennes, Ben Whishaw and Patti Smith; all they had to do wasreach out to those who’ve cited Wilde as an influence.ReadingGaol, Where Oscar Wilde Was Imprisoned, Unlocks Its Gates For Art -- source link