Georgia’s Old Capital Heritage Center at the Depot will be debuting Seeking Asylum on Giving Tuesday, Nov. 29.
Over the past year, photographer Jessica Whitehead has been working on a photography book related to Central State Hospital.
She began working on the book in May by taking photos of the general campus.
However, the project became bigger than originally planned once she partnered with the Central State Hospital Redevelopment Authority.
“I contacted Walter Reynolds with the Redevelopment Authority and learned that the museum about the history of the hospital has been closed down for the last several years due to a number of issues,” said Whitehead. “So, I met with him and later with Amy Wright of the heritage center to continue work on my book.”
According to Whitehead, Executive Director Amy Wright of Georgia’s Old Capital Heritage Center was the one who encouraged her to turn her book into an exhibit. The pair hope that donated funds raised at the exhibition can be used to fund the heritage center’s museum and other projects.
“Jessica Whitehead’s camera captures moving images of Central State Hospital no longer accessible to the public,” said Wright. “Each canvas has its own story to tell. We are pleased to partner with the artist to bring the Seeking Asylum exhibit to the public for the first time.”
Before beginning her journey in photography, Whitehead worked in mental health for majority of her life. She held positions at various institutions and worked as a therapist with an emphasis on childhood trauma. During her experience, her mentor was Dr. Greg Jarvie who had previously worked at Central State Hospital.
“We had the same love of mental health treatment,” said Whitehead.
“We discussed a lot about mental health treatments and how treatments have changed over the years.
And it was shortly after his passing that I picked up photography.”
Photography became an outlet for Whitehead to relieve her own mental struggles. She often found that taking photos helped her to hyper focus on a target rather than overthink and stress.
“Photography makes me hyper-focused on the subject of my lens. It diverts my thinking to something more calm,” said Whitehead. “When you struggle with anxiety and depression, finding a positive outlet offers relief to the effects of these struggles.”
And with the positivity that photography brought to her own mental health, she became inspired to use this new skill to prompt discussion about mental health with the public.
“There’s a stigma around mental health that often alludes to someone having something wrong with them due to their mental illness,” said Whitehead.
“When I began working on my photography book, I hoped the photos would help spark discussion about our current mental health institutions, the care of individuals facing mental illness and the general stigma around mental illness.”
Through her photos, Whitehead hopes to show the beauty and purpose in Central State Hospital, even when it's in disrepair.
Her photos will freeze the hospital in time as the Redevelopment Authority works to find new purpose for the buildings and campus.
“There is a lot of history surrounding Central State Hospital and many curiosities of what will happen to the institution as years progress,” said Whitehead. “For now it is in disrepair but it is in the process of being repurposed. I believe documenting where the buildings are at this time metaphorically speaks to how our mental health system is today.”
Through close work with the Redevelopment Authority, Whitehead has captured still-moments of decay around the CHS campus. With each click of her camera, she instills another image she hopes will prompt thought about mental illnesses today, their treatments, and their effects on others.
“I feel that mental health institutions of today do not have the resources to give the care that is needed for their clients and patients,” said Whitehead. “I think so many of our societal issues could be resolved if we valued those with mental illness more. The current stigma makes people feel hopeless and seen as incapable or weak for their struggles.
Which isn’t the truth to mental illness at all.”
Seeking Asylum will debut on Nov. 29 from 3-6 p.m. and then returns on Dec. 4 from 2-4 p.m. for public viewing at The Depot.
The exhibit will have 35 photographs of Central State Hospital and will be free for viewing, though donations are heavily encouraged.
“I am excited to show this exhibit to the public and thank you to both Walter Reynolds and Amy Wright for working closely with me to make this happen,” said Whitehead.