Rhode Island Council for the Humanities

Days of Darkness, Days of Hope

This presentation documents the deinstitutionalization of patients in Rhode Island mental health and mental retardation institutions. The photographs of the buildings (Ladd School, Institute of Mental Health), the workshops given to residents to aid survival in the outside world, preparing the community to accept residents in their neighborhoods, and every aspect of institutional life are included. The photographer was given carte blanche to photograph all these fascinating aspects of deinstitutionalization.

Salvatore Mancini is a photographer who has been published and has exhibited his work throughout the United States and Europe. He has been the recipient of the Pell award, fellowships from the Rhode Island State Council on the Arts (RISCA) and the Bolaffi Prize (Italy’s most prestigious prize for photography).

Needs: Slide Projector and screen; lighted lectern/water