Artist Statement
Remnants of What Was
Remnants of What Was is an ongoing photographic project documenting portraits and objects in the abandoned Indiana State Sanatorium in Rockville, Indiana. In 2011, the hospital was abruptly closed, leaving patients’ belongings and records behind. Patients were shuttled to a neighboring facility, while their personal items and hundreds of suitcases were discarded. The series consists of diptychs that intend to create portraits of the workers and patients living in the facility. I’m interested in giving voice to thevoiceless and creating stories around items that have decayed and been forgottenabout over time.
Artist Bio
Samantha VanDeman is a licensed and registered art therapist and photographer who lives in Chicago, Illinois. Her work has been exhibited and published internationally, including LENSCRATCH, Flash Forward, Aesthetica Magazine, SHOTS Magazine, The Chicago Project, and The Photo Review. She received her MFA at The Art Institute of Boston at Lesley University and is a PhD student at Adler University in Chicago. Samantha specializes in grief and childhood trauma therapy. When not working as a therapist, her photographic work focuses on spaces and objects left behind and forgotten.