On the night of August 18, 1993, three men escaped from the maximum-security prison at Paremoremo. Contrary to media myth, only three men have ever broken out of that division. And there is only one man who has both broken in and out of maximum security: the elusive figure called Mr. X. 

This work is a visual artifact of one of New Zealand’s most audacious prison breaks of Michael Bullock and Brian Curtis. 

At its core is a handwritten account of the escape, rain-slicked roads, and a desperate drive toward the city. But this isn’t fiction – it’s rooted in a real event.

Rendered in chalky whites, asphalt greys, and electric reds, the piece hums. It transforms the language of control – maps, plans, surveillance – into a chaotic protest against confinement, whether physical or systemic. This is not just a painting; it’s a coded document, a reminder that escape is as much psychological as it is physical.