Yours Truly was a really beautiful component of the Ai WeiWei’s work @Large on Alcatraz.  Located in the former dining hall of the penitentiary, visitors of the exhibition were invited to write postcards to the political prisoners whose individual stories were outlined in binders that were laid out on tables. The postcards were printed with the national bird or flower of that prisoner’s country and the cards were to be delivered as part of the exhibit. People wrote how they were touched by that prisoner’s plight, about the exhibit itself, gave encouragement to the prisoners or even drew pictures!  It was a great outlet for visitors to get involved and engaged and it was surely gratifying for those on the receiving end to know that so many thousands of people were thinking of them and learning about their cause.

Alcatraz was originally named La Isla de los Alcatraces (Pelican Island), and as there is this lovely theme of birds (which are associated with messengers and freedom) and flowers (which are associated with a flourishing fertility) throughout @Large (birds and flowers on the kites and in the poetry, blossoms in the the tubs, sinks and toilets) I thought it would be appropriate to show some of the birds and flowers of Alcatraz.