** The following article features themes of sexual assault and incarceration. Such content
may be upsetting to some readers. **
Imagine the following situation – it’s the 1990s, and you’re a young adult living in the Dayton, Ohio area. Having just graduated high school, your entire life lies ahead. With a budding career and supportive family, the possibilities for the future feel, in this moment, endless. Now, imagine all of this being taken from you in the midst of being falsely charged and convicted of three counts of rape – crimes with which you had absolutely nothing to do. It’s a difficult concept to wrap your head around, isn’t it? Only those who have experienced a trauma this severe can begin to understand and empathize with the very real situation in which Dean Gillispie once found
himself.
Gillispie recently paid a visit to TU’s campus as a guest of the University’s chapter of the Ohio Innocence Project (OIP-u: TU) to talk about just this, as well as the two decades he spent wrongfully imprisoned for said allegations. Gillispie outlined how he and those close to him coped with the injustice and most importantly, he explained the work he’s currently doing in collaboration with the OIP umbrella organization to help reform the Ohio justice system. The OIP was instrumental in helping Gillispie and family petition for a reexamination of his case, as
well as his eventual exoneration and reparations.
“Nobody deserves to go through what I did,” said Gillispie. “I’ll be grappling with what
happened to me for the rest of my life, but I can at least find comfort in fighting back alongside
the OIP. We won’t stop until the only people in prisons are those who deserve to be there.”
All of the above is depicted in a short documentary by Barry Rowen entitled “Spiz” – after
Gillispie’s nickname and artist’s moniker. A rough cut of the film was privately screened for all
TU affiliates attending Gillispie’s on-campus lecture, and in addition to talking about the who, what, when, where, why and how of it all, the film depicts the artwork Gillispie made while incarcerated as a central and driving theme. Rowen is a writer, director and editor based in Cincinnati, having worked with artists and groups such as Halsey, Katy Perry, Rascal Flatts and others.
“When I first heard about Dean, I was immediately captivated by his story and the awareness it could bring to so many people and groups,” explained Rowen. “That’s why I decided to take this project on, and it all took off from there. Helping the OIP has become a passion project of sorts.” At its core, Spiz is a moving peek behind the curtain – both with regard to life behind bars, the fallout of injustice and most of all, the healing power of art and its ability to transcend the artist. Gillispie’s paintings and sculptural works received such acclaim, that they have been featured in several art galleries across the country, including the famous Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in NYC.
“It was more than finding something to do during those days – it was my escape, my therapy,” Gillispie explained. “I’m not your guy. I’ve never been your guy and I’ll never be your guy. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve said that. Every single time, it was ignored. I felt so powerless back then, which is why I turned to art as a form of expression. It’s also why I’ve since dedicated my life to giving power back to those who’ve lost it – to hearing those nobody else will.” The Ohio Innocence Project is the state’s only nonprofit organization dedicated exclusively to freeing the wrongfully imprisoned and to the reformation of a justice system that would allow wrongful convictions to occur. Since their inception in 2003, OIP’s work has led to the release of 40 wrongfully convicted Ohioans, who collectively served more than 700 years behind bars. For more information, visit facebook.com/OhioInnocenceProject. To learn more about the MoMA exhibit and to view photos of Gillispie’s work, visit
moma.org/artists/132254#exhibition.