Jon Crispin's Notebook

When I started photographing the suitcases, I really had no idea what I was doing, or where the project would go.  Very early on, Craig Williams introduced me to poet and psychiatrist  Dr. Karen Miller, and it has been amazing to “share” the suitcases with her over the five plus years that we have had access to the collection.  Because of her, I was included in the Exploratorium Exhibit in San Francisco, and because of her, I gained so much insight into the lives of the patients at Willard.  She has illuminated the human side of the folks who, in many cases, lived their entire lives at the institution.

I have always seen the suitcases and their contents as a reflection of who the patients were before, and during their time at Willard.  Because Karen went through the lengthly and difficult process of gaining access to the medical records of the suitcase owners, she was able to explore the clinical and bureaucratic side of their lives.  On many occasions, we worked side by side at the museum storage facility in Rotterdam and were able to talk about what inspired us about the collection.

In many ways, I didn’t want to learn too much about the reason these folks ended up at Willard, since it was important to me to feel a connection to them through their possessions.

So it was with some trepidation that Peg Ross and I made arrangements to spend the day in the New York State Archives photographing some of the massive case files of the suitcases owners.  Karen spent quite a bit of time getting Peg and me access to this otherwise closed collection, and I want to thank her so much for her efforts.  It was a remarkable day, and so nice to be working close to Karen again.

I am still not sure what I will do with these photos, but I do know that they’ll eventually be a part of whatever happens with my work on the suitcases.

As I was profusely thanking Karen for all that she has contributed to my work on the collection, she remarked on something that really resonated with me.  I’ll paraphrase here, but she said something to the effect that the most important things she has done in her life have been in collaboration with others.  I feel that so deeply.  Without Craig Williams, I would never had been able to begin the project.  Without Peggy Ross I would never have photographed the entire collection, and without Karen I wouldn’t have anywhere near the insight as to what life as a patient at Willard would have been like.  It is so fulfilling to be part of a team of such creative, smart, and great people, and I am so grateful to each for their help and support.