Hospitals for the Chronic Insane

kurttavares · Jun 5, 2015

All shots here taken between 2011 and 2015 and developed in my friends kitchen sink

1. Poughkeepsie, NY - Mamiya RZ67, 50mm Z, Velvia 50

2. Taunton, MA - Mamiya RZ67, 50mm Z, Velvia 50

3. Taunton, MA - Mamiya RZ67, 50mm Z, Velvia 50

4. Morris Plains, NJ - Mamiya RZ67, 50mm Z, Portra 160

5. Morris Plains, NJ - Mamiya RZ67, 50mm Z, Portra 160

6. Wingdale, NY - Canon EOS 630, 50mm f/1.8, Ilford HP5

7. Foxborough, MA - Mamiya RB67, 50mm, I forget what film (one of my oldest MF shots)

8. Westborough, MA - Yashica Electro 35 GS, Fuji 800 cross processed

9. Westborough, MA - Yashica Electro 35 GS, Fuji 800 cross processed

amellice · Jun 5, 2015

nice work

Trail Images · Jun 5, 2015

WOW, if these hallways could speak I'm sure they could share much history. As a Velvia user the opening image is especially nice to me. Thanks for sharing.

removed account4 · Jun 5, 2015

hi kurt

great images !
they must have redeveloped the hospital in brookline before you gota chance to go there ..

i got into sockanosset before it was disney'd
but i couldn't make any photographs at that time ..
place gave me the worst case of the heebeejeebes i have ever experienced.
the developer rejected my bid ..
i would have had to burn a heck of a lot of sage before i exposed any film.

not sure were around when the construction started, graves came afloat from
the tunnels of the graphite mine that was across the street. extremely creepy.

EdSawyer · Jun 5, 2015

Nicely done. I take RZ gear urbex'ing too, will post some sometime soon.

eddie · Jun 5, 2015

I'm most drawn to 2, 4, 5, 6, and 9. I think passageways, and doorways, present a metaphor for the workings of the human mind (light at the end of the tunnel/ there but for the grace... sort of thing)- appropriate to your subject matter. Number 5 is my favorite. Ironically, it's also close to where I grew up, so it's probably where I would have ended up, if I had been deemed eligible. :crazy:

GRHazelton · Jun 5, 2015

Trail Images said:
WOW, if these hallways could speak I'm sure they could share much history. As a Velvia user the opening image is especially nice to me. Thanks for sharing.

Indeed they are fine pictures. As far as the walls' stories, are you or others on APUG familiar with the film Titicut Follies? Have a look at this wiki http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Titicut_Follies A chilling reminder of the incarceration of the insane in days past.

While de-institutionalization made possible by greatly improved psychotropic drugs seemed a giant step forward, the program's reliance on community mental health centers and on the patients' willingness to both visit the centers for follow-up care and to follow the necessary drug regimen rather doomed the experiment, especially combined with NIMBY, also known as Not In My Back Yard. I'd wager that many of today's chronically homeless would have been institutionalized in the past. Conceivably they might have been better off....

Here's a site on deinstutionalization of the mentally ill. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deinstitutionalisation

cliveh · Jun 5, 2015

A great series for an exhibition, as the images exhibit the mood of chronic insanity.

Trail Images · Jun 5, 2015

As far as the walls' stories, are you or others on APUG familiar with the film Titicut Follies? Have a look at this wiki http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Titicut_Follies A chilling reminder of the incarceration of the insane in days past.

I do not recall that film, but I have minor recall of the film titled The Snake Pit. And yes, a very chilling reminder as my own grandfather worked at similar facilities in NY & CA when he was alive.

removed account4 · Jun 5, 2015

Michael R 1974 said:
Christopher Payne did an interesting study on asylums, if anyone is interested.

http://www.asylumbook.com/

Dead Link Removed

he certainly did !
great guy, and a fun guy to work with ( kind of wacky sense of humor ).

Jeff Bradford · Jun 6, 2015

Excellent photos and adventures. Do be wary of lead paint and asbestos while traipsing about.

Sirius Glass · Jun 6, 2015

Jeff Bradford said:
Excellent photos and adventures. Do be wary of lead paint and asbestos while traipsing about.

Yes, be careful not the eat ead paint and asbestos.

Drew B. · Dec 14, 2015

Great interesting images! You should come up next time we get together in the Plymouth area....

removed account4 · Dec 14, 2015

Jeff Bradford said:
Excellent photos and adventures. Do be wary of lead paint and asbestos while traipsing about.

i was photographing a factory / machine tool company years ago.
it was filled lead and asbestos and unfortunately the folks who were pillaging all
the copper to sell on the black market smashed thousands
of fluorescent light bulbs ( the 4-8' lengths ) all over the floor and it was covered with
both razor sharp glass, glass dust and beryllium dust.
the main thing to be wary about is tetanus and making sure you have a booster shot on-board.
talking like thursten p howell the 3rd with a clenched jaw because of a cause of lockjaw is not high up on my bucket list.

Hospitals for the Chronic Insane

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