‘Into Light’ exhibit at University of South Alabama to raise drug addiction awareness

MOBILE, Ala. ( WKRG ) — The INTO LIGHT Project is set to open its exhibition “Drug Addiction: Real People, Real Stories” at the University of South Alabama this week.

The INTO LIGHT Project is a national nonprofit that creates exhibitions of original portraits and individual stories of people who have died from drug addiction through powerful art.

The nonprofit selects one public academic museum or gallery in each state based on its ability to engage the community by building educational programming around the exhibit that addresses the issues of drug addiction.

“Each exhibition consists of 41 original graphite portraits of people who have died from drug addiction in the state where the exhibit is held,” a Mobile County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson said. “Each portrait is accompanied by a professionally written narrative about the lives of the individuals in the exhibit.”

The families of the deceased will be gifted the originally, professionally framed portrait and a catalog of the narratives of the individual.

The exhibit will open Thursday, Aug. 29, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the University of South Alabama Student Center in the Second Floor Lobby.

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“The goal of the project is to change the conversation about drug addiction, educate the public about the disease of addiction, and reduce the stigma surrounding substance use disorder,” a news release from the INTO LIGHT Project said.

The exhibit will open the reception on Thursday and will be open through June 27, 2025.

Admission to the reception is free and open to the public.

Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall will be in attendance to make remarks.

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