From prison to Poutama: Mark Lang’s journey through art
“Doing arts and whakairo when I was inside changed my life. Now I’m reaping the benefits of my mahi and sharing with the community through my whakairo business in the gallery.”
– Mark Lang
For people in the criminal justice system, the arts can provide a powerful path to rehabilitation and reintegration. Our Arts in Corrections Network connects artists, educators and organisations with opportunities to deliver life-changing arts programmes in prisons and Community Corrections across Aotearoa.
When the cell door shut behind Mark Lang (Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Horahia) on his first night in prison, he made a promise to himself that he would change. He took every class and opportunity that Corrections offered him.
“The art of carving provided a pathway for me to navigate a journey back to wellbeing and restoration of mana,” he says. “I learned my craft when I was in Hawke’s Bay Regional Prison and I am now an esteemed carver.”
Mark recalls his pōwhiri (welcome) into the prison’s Te Tirohanga (Māori focus unit). “I felt a huge shift. The programme’s te ao Māori worldview and the opportunity to connect with my whakapapa enabled me to find myself; learn who I was and what I stood for; where I belonged – and now, where I am heading.”
Opening his gallery, Tika Pono Toi Gallery and Studio in Dargaville, and offering carving classes in the community is a dream come true.
Mark started planning for his future when he was in prison, completing a Level 4 business certificate and business plan. “I saw this as a chance for me to change my future and bring hope to others that you can transform your life and achieve your dreams.
“Doing arts and whakairo when I was inside changed my life. Now I’m reaping the benefits of my mahi and sharing with the community through my whakairo business in the gallery.”
Neil Wallace, Arts in Corrections Advisor at Arts Access Aotearoa, says Mark’s journey is an outstanding example of the transformative power of the arts, particularly within the context of Māori cultural practices.
Neil facilitates the Arts in Corrections Network. He connects people, sharing resources and evidence of how arts programmes contribute to rehabilitation.
More stories of change
Rodney Bell: “I didn’t dream of dancing when I was young. Dance found me after I acquired my disability.“
Ash Gibson: “Art is healing. I feel like I’ve found my whānau at Vincents. I’ve never found anything like it.”
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