What Became of Dr. Smith envisions the life of artist Noah Saterstrom’s great-grandfather, a traveling optometrist who, according to family lore, disappeared in 1924. Through a years-long search in state, local, and private archives, Saterstrom discovered that his great-grandfather spent the final four decades of his life at the Mississippi State Insane Hospital (also known as the “Old Asylum”) in Jackson, and later at the Mississippi State Hospital in nearby Whitfield. Presented as an immersive narrative painting of 183 canvases that together span 122 feet, What Became of Dr. Smith is the visual culmination of the story that emerged one century after it was erased from his family’s record. What Became of Dr. Smith expands on Saterstrom and The Asylum Hill Project (AHP)’s shared goal of acknowledging those marginalized by society due to mental illness.
The exhibition comprises three sections: Saterstrom’s monumental painting composed of 183 canvases spanning 122 feet; historical artifacts from Dr. Smith’s life, including letters, newspaper clippings, and photographs; and an area dedicated to The Asylum Hill Project, a research consortium committed to uncovering the history of the Old Asylum and memorializing the approximately 7,000 individuals whose remains were recently discovered there. In addition to the exhibition, MMA proudly announces its partnership with the University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC) in Jackson. This collaboration builds on existing art therapy programs at UMMC and MMA to illuminate art’s transformative power to address mental health issues and intergenerational trauma.
The exhibition will be accompanied by a catalogue of text and images. This exhibition was made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services, the Center for Bioethics and Medical Humanities at the University of Mississippi Medical Center, Visit Jackson and LocaliQ.
from the exhibition text
