There’s something so fascinating about a prisoner’s last meal. Prisoners on death row are often granted this one request, and everything from fast food to lukewarm cans of SpaghettiOs makes the list. But just as satisfying? A prisoner’s first meal outside of prison, after being wrongfully convicted. No matter what that meal may be, it’s food that’s filled with the satisfaction of ending a sentence that was never deserved in the first place.
While artist Julie Green has spent much of her time depicting famous last meals, Green has recently taken on these intriguing first meals as paintings. Green, who prefers gender-neutral pronouns per Munchies, has so far depicted 800 meals altogether, with no plan on stopping until, in their words, “capital punishment is no longer.”
The latest project, titled First Meal, shows the very first meal each wrongfully convicted prisoner chose in the comfort of a free environment. Green has worked with Northwestern University’s Center on Wrongful Convictions, which reportedly gives exonerees a survey that better helps Green know both what to paint and an emotion in which to paint it in.
It’s pretty amazing to have such a proud moment captured through painting. As it must be awful to suffer from a wrongful conviction, and a fear of never getting out to reunite with family and loved ones, there must be so much joy felt in that first bite.
Each one of Green’s paintings, which they posted on Instagram, tells a story. They made sure to include every detail possible.
Many of the subjects behind Green’s paintings were just teens when they were wrongfully accused. Some spent a majority of their life behind bars.
The foods are often things you’d order off a menu without thinking twice. For example, Green tells the story of an exoneree who ordered a T-bone steak at Denny’s, with a side of bacon and pancakes.
Some paintings are more abstract. The one above is meant to resemble a club sandwich with fries.
One of the most lovely paintings details a place we all know of. Never before has a lobster from Red Lobster looked so good.
Not all first meals are necessarily foods known for luxury. Above, Green painted an image of exoneree Julie Rea being hand-fed a few blueberries.
Green also openly talks about the process of her paintings. They don’t always get all the details right on the first attempt.
Green also figured out that Red Lobster was a popular choice for First Meal. This one reveals that fact through text:
As of right now, there are eight completed “First Meal” paintings. “Ultimately, I hope to paint twenty,” Green said. “It’s wonderful collaborating with the Center on Wrongful Convictions at Northwestern. With eight done, I am putting this aside for now.”
The painting might make you think about what you’d order for your first meal after wrongful imprisonment. After reading a story about an exoneree named Horace Roberts who chose Chick-Fil-A for his first meal, Twitter user Rick Persons felt inspired to ask his followers what their preference would be.
I'm with you on a steak. I might go surf and turf, glass of red wine, side of asparagus and mashed potatoes.
— Mike Semanchik (@MSemanchik) October 16, 2018
Many included the fancy stuff. Steak, wine, and potatoes were all popular answers.
But on the other side of the fence, sushi’s also a good selection. Think of all the different types of rolls you could get.
Mike Semanchik from the CA Innocence Project, who reportedly worked with Roberts, also put the question on his own account. Some of the answers will remind you how bland and unattractive prison food really is.
Can you imagine how good actual, hot pizza must taste if you’ve been in prison for decades?
Pizza or Pot Roast and potatos. And an ice cold diet pepsi.
— JohnMichael (@JMDJMD2014) October 21, 2018
Unfortunately, Green has a lot of material to work with over the years if this project continues on. It’s eye-opening for plenty of reasons, especially because anyone is capable of being wrongfully convicted for crimes they didn’t commit.
As for now, Green is back to work on painting last meals. Even if the subject can be a little grim, each and every one tells a story.
