Bars and Gates: COPY+PASTE+DELETE

By Antonio Burton

Antonio Burton’s Bars & Gates: COPY+PASTE+DELETE works to spark dialogue about the impacts of mass incarceration on residents of Decatur, Illinois. In three layers — a six-song EP, a collection of original paintings, and a documentary — Burton examines the question: “Could you see a world without prisons?” Bars & Gates takes up this question through a variety of media, interrogating the impacts of incarceration on those who are incarcerated and those left behind — particularly children.

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Illustration of an artist painting on a large canvas

Layer One: Bars & Gates EP (2021)

Listen to this original EP created by Antonio (aka Toni Picasso), which explores themes around mass incarceration in his hometown of Decatur, IL.

Layer Two: Artwork

View Antonio’s paintings, which depict people who have been impacted by the incarceration of a loved one.

Painting of a Black woman or girl wearing a sweater with the word "FREE" on it. Her face is painted without any features other than her mouth. Her lips are parted slightly. She might be smiling.

Painting of a young boy's head and upper torso. He wears a hoodie with the hood pulled up over his head. He looks down and wears a somber expression.

Painting of the top of a Black child's head. She wears pigtails, and the hair on top of her head is styled into diamond shapes with bright, multicolored barrettes in the center of each diamond. There is a blue butterfly on her left pigtail and an orange butterfly on her left pigtail.

Painting of a young Black man's face. He wears a mostly neutral expression that belies his deeper thoughts and determination.

Painting the right half of a Black man's face and upper torso. He is wearing a yellow blazer or sweater, a collared shirt, and a tie.

Portrait of a Black woman against a floral background

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Layer Three: Bars & Gates Documentary

Antonio speaks in greater depth about the Bars & Gates project and his goals for the work in this 13-minute documentary.

Antonio Burton

rawartists.com/albartwork

Antonio L. Burton, also known as “Toni Picasso,” is a native of Decatur, Illinois. His faith in Jesus Christ has fueled his fluent gift in all arts, mediums, and skills. In 2012, Antonio earned a bachelor’s in 2-D Design with an emphasis in painting from Eastern Illinois University. Since then he has hit the ground running, laying a foundation in his field of study as a freelance artist in both Illinois and Missouri. Antonio’s hope is to paint into the heart of others a new color of life that will not only inspire…

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Bars and Gates: COPY+PASTE+DELETE

By Antonio Burton

Layer One: Bars & Gates EP (2021)

Layer Two: Artwork

Layer Three: Bars & Gates Documentary

Antonio Burton

Antonio Burton