The work of Jeremy Harris, specifically his series titled 'American Asylums, Moral Architecture in the 19th Century,' will send a chill down people's spines. It doesn't just capture American asylums, but abandoned American asylums. Whether or not people believe in ghosts and hauntings, it will be hard not to feel slightly uneasy when browsing through Jeremy Harris' photo series.
Hailing from San Francisco, California, and based in "a semi-haunted (by friendly ghosts) rustic brownstone in Crown Heights Brooklyn, New York," as written on his website, Jeremy Harris now has an endless supply of inspiration. Full of rubble, old signage and peeling walls, these mental institutions hark back to another era in which alternative methods were used to treat patients.
What's Driving This Trend
- Abandoned Asylums
- There is an opportunity to repurpose abandoned asylums into spaces that serve the community, such as housing for the homeless, art galleries or community centers.
- Mental Health Awareness
- There is an opportunity to raise awareness for mental health issues, especially with regards to the history of mental healthcare systems in the United States.
- Retro Styling
- There is an opportunity to capitalize on the popularity of retro styling through interior design or fashion inspired by the decor of abandoned asylums.
Who This Affects Most
- Real Estate
- Real estate developers could capitalize on repurposing abandoned asylums into affordable housing, mixed-use developments or event spaces.
- Mental Health
- Mental health organizations could use the history of past asylums to raise awareness or advocate for better mental health care access and policies.
- Fashion & Interior Design
- Fashion designers or interior decorators could draw inspiration from the retro decor of abandoned asylums to create unique styles or collections.
