I was looking for some vintage images of advertisements for psychiatric hospitals this evening. Instead, I broke my heart. These haunting images were taken within the walls of a modern psychiatric facility in Serbia and Kosovo between 1999 and 2002 by the photographer George Georgiou. He writes:
For me, after the initial shock at the conditions and total lack of care, it became clear that the patients from all ethic backgrounds were able to display more community affection and care with each other, than the sad situation their "sane" countrymen were displaying to each other on the outside.
I have nothing to say other than this: we must do better.
Like the work of Burton Blatt ("Christmas in Purgatory") it seems photographers are the ones who always begin the process of change. I work in a completely modern institution, and our clients live in a sanitary space and have things to do and people to try and help them. But it's still an institution, and it's still painful to wonder who the men and women who live there would have been had their families been supported to keep them at home.
ReplyDeleteI didn't know about Blatt's book. I'll have to check that out.
DeleteSo sad. Such an unfair world for those little ones.
ReplyDeleteHope all's well - @mungobah here!
http://www.MungosADHD.com