Gary Tyler is a fiber artist based in Los Angeles, California, whose work spans over four decades at the intersection of art and social justice. A self-taught quilter, Tyler initially learned the craft to support the Angola Prison Hospice program, where he volunteered. He also served as the President of the Angola Prison drama program for 30 years, promoting community, civic responsibility, and optimism. At 16, Tyler was wrongfully sentenced to death and spent 42 years at Angola State Penitentiary before being released at 57. His case garnered international attention, and though his art was born from injustice, it fosters hope and healing. Now dedicated to the visual and dramatic arts, Tyler uses his work to address mass incarceration. He is a 2019 and 2020 Art Matters Awardee, and his work is in the collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. Tyler will receive an honorary Doctor of Fine Arts degree from the Massachusetts College of Art & Design in spring 2024 and the 2024 Frieze Los Angeles Impact Prize for his societal contributions.