Presented in collaboration with Mural Arts Philadelphia.
This portrait series humanizes incarcerated individuals, shedding light on the immense human cost of mass incarceration in America. Created during Mark Loughney's ten years of incarceration, these portraits offer a dignified, intimate view of his fellow prisoners, challenging the stigmatizing image of those within the prison system.
The title references pyrrhic defeat theory, which is the idea that those with the power to change a system benefit from the way it currently works.
According to the artist, "This theory suggests that the intentions of the criminal justice system are the very opposite of common expectations; it functions the way it does in order to purposely fail at rehabilitation and crime prevention, amounting in a $182 billion dollar victory for the prison industrial complex."
In the latest phase of Pyrrhic Defeat, Loughney expands his focus to include portraits of advocates for criminal justice reform. This evolution of the project highlights not only those affected by incarceration but also the individuals fighting to change the system. Through this broader lens, Loughney's work emphasizes that true reform is a shared responsibility.
To follow the artist's work, or sign up to have your portrait drawn to be included in the project, visit loughneyart.com or @loughneyart on Instagram.
Meet the Artist
Mark Loughney is a formerly-incarcerated painter and draftsman from Pennsylvania whose art acts as a courier for criminal justice reform efforts nationwide. He is a recipient of the 2023 Art For Justice Fellowship and 2024 Mural Arts Reimagining Reentry Fellow. He works from his studio in Philadelphia and is expanding his Pyrrhic Defeat portrait project to include portraits of supporters of criminal justice reform.
