Buddha
Created by Reynaldo Figueroa Sanabria
Reynaldo Figueroa Sanabria is currently incarcerated on death row at Union Correctional Institution in Raiford, Florida. Reynaldo's red elephant, a centerpiece of the exhibition, was made in part from materials gifted to him by Charles Finney. It sat half finished until Unconditional Freedom offered a donation of materials needed to complete it.
In Reynaldo’s own words:
My name is Reynaldo Figueroa Sanabria, born and raised in Puerto Rico. I'm 52 years old. I was born with this gift to know how to draw and I like it. I'm incarcerated on death row in the State of Florida; I just got here 4 years ago. I'm an open minded person, I like good conversation. I have been through a lot. I know a little bit of this and a little bit of that. I'm not a saint but not a bad person. If people want to have a good friend, my doors are open; you will not regret knowing me.
This is death row. We are not in general population; we only get 3 hours out of our cell for showers and using the phone. Drawing and making crafts is my meditation and how I get my mind out of these walls.
I met Charles Finney one time when I got back from court. They put me in the cell next to him and I noticed he had a few crafts in the making. I told him I know how to draw and make crafts. I told him I could help him finish some of his work. When inmates throw something out, I look and see if I could use it to make something. It is always in my mind; I visualize what I could create.
Reynaldo Figueroa Sanabria D46851
Union Correctional Institute
P.O. Box 1000
Raiford, FL 32083