“The Angel Down – A Fragmented Soul"
The series of fotos depicts the cycle of an innocent “Abandoned Angel” at Letchworth Village, and the accident which changed my life and inspired a very personal self -portrait.
Angel in Veil
The cycle begins with a “Angel in Veil”. She’s pale, veiled and staring intensely. She is a new soul at Letchworth Village.
Holding On
Depicts the Angel changed by the facility via experimental treatment. She holds onto her veil, which represents a part of her original self.
Angel Down
Forlorn the Angel ponders a quiet moment; and realizes she is forever changed.
Proud to be a Freak
Living in her “New World”, the surviving Angel is proud of what is left of her.
Broken
A Self Portrait in Agony
Personal Relevance –
I created this series because I empathized with the residents of Letchworth in a very different way. Like the souls of Letchworth, many of the children could comprehend learning but were not given the chance because they were thought of as "different." I have ADD and Dyslexia; I could have easily been a Letchworth resident.
Residents were categorized into four groups: "feeble-mindedness", the "moron", the "imbecile" and the "idiot" group. The “idiot” group is the one that could not be trained. Consider how we use these words today. Perhaps we should disallow them from our personal vocabulary.
The U.S. still struggles with the care of our Mentally Disabled Community and Veterans. More awareness and funding is needed and we should not allow this community to be abandoned in the streets and treated as “zero-class citizens.”
About Letchworth –
Letchworth Village, located in Rockland County, New York, was built for the physically and mentally disabled. Letchworth was praised for its invention of the Polio vaccine. The negative energy surrounding Letchworth is heightened since many of the patients were between the ages of 5 – 16 years old.
In 1996, Letchworth was permanently closed and remains abandoned.
NOTE: This portrait session occurred on October 16, 2k16 and it was the last time I was able to use a Canon camera and my right hand. Later that evening, I broke my hand and created this left handed over a period of months in agony. (See the Forum for more details.)