Asylum by Christopher Payne
I got an advanced proof of Asylum: Inside the Closed World of State Mental Hospitals by architect and photographer Christopher Payne some time ago. But not until I really glimpsed and held the finished book did the power of his images, a six-year documentation of America's crumbling state mental institutions, come through.
From the detritus of harrowing lives to the physical decay of the buildings themselves, Payne gives us the state of things with the bark on. The state being largely neglectfull with the patients turned out onto the streets as policy shifted under President Reagan. Astoundingly beautiful work on a subject that rarely gets the attention. An essay by Oliver Sacks accompanies the photographs—visit this slideshow to see some of the images from the book.
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Beautiful collection of gripping photographs. As a Buffalonian, I have to defend the Buffalo State Hospital: It may look terrifying by night, but by day, it shines as one of H.H. Richardson's finest works and a stunning example of Richardson Romanesque architecture.
Miyoko, I'll accept your defense of Richardson. What I like about him is that he seemed very eager to engage with all sorts of social contexts with his buildings. He wasn't about showpieces (afterall, how sexy, at least in principle, is an asylum), though seemed utterly convinced that his style could be adapted and serve really any sort of building. It's hard to imagine certain present day starchitects give up their temporary, inflatable luxury boutiques and high-flown art galleries for the courthouse in Worcester, Mass. Richardson certainly had some big commissions, especially the railway stations and churches, but he also did a lot of town halls in these small New England cities that I'm sure no one really ever went out of their way to see.
I used to investigate abuse and neglect in institutions throughout California and these riveting images struck a chord with me. See also Spirits of the Abandoned http://www.spiritsoftheabandoned.com/ Just recently, I heard about a group in California who began a project called the California Memorial Project http://www.californiaclients.org/projects/ca_mem_description.cfm to remember and honor the thousands of people, who have lived, who are still living, and those who died in state institutions.
This reminds me of the works of Rob Dobi - that cat has snapped some amazing images from places much like this... http://www.newenglandruins.com/
not what was used....but what is used !
WOW. Amazing work. As a photographer and someone with a psych background this really peaks my fancy. To know the things that occurred in those asylums, and even some of the earlier diagnoses that were included in earlier DSM's versions is chilling. Thanks for sharing such a great piece of work.
There's an eerie beauty about abandoned places, as well as a sadness.
Great photography! Asylum looks more like an biology lab in med school.
This is unbelievably eerie. Its amazing how these pictures, even taken in a lighted environment, can induce so much feeling. Very Great Work!
The State of Oregon has been trying to return the canisters with remains to family members, but for the most part nothing can be done. No one remembers them.
what they did to those poor souls. there was alot of experimentation going on. alot of tormented spirits probably still linger. i wouldn't want to work there. very disturbing. i don't find beauty in anything like that where torture took place.
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