In 1979, photographer Merrick Morton received a California state grant to document the Volunteer Program at Metropolitan State Hospital in Los Angeles, a project originally planned for just three to four weeks. However, what began as a brief assignment to create recruitment materials turned into an extraordinary 18-month journey that would profoundly impact both the photographer and his understanding of mental healthcare.
Morton's initial task was straightforward: capture photographs that could be used in slide presentations to recruit volunteers willing to spend time with psychiatric patients for socialization purposes. The Metropolitan State Hospital, located in Norwalk, Los Angeles County, had been operating since 1916 and continues to serve patients today, though parts of the facility have fallen into disrepair over the decades.
Armed with a passkey to both chronic and acute locked wards, Morton found himself drawn deeper into the world of the hospital than anyone had anticipated. "I mainly photographed on the weekends when the admin offices were closed," Morton explains. "I became lost in the system and extended my documentation of the hospital to a year and a half, without the main office finding out." His extended presence went unnoticed by administrators until one Sunday when unfamiliar staff members questioned his identity and reported him to the administration.
During his year and a half at the facility, Morton developed meaningful relationships with both staff members and patients. "Throughout my stay, I became friends with both the staff and certain patients," he recalls. "In an odd way, the ward's inpatients and staff became family to me over the course of 18 months." This unique perspective allowed him to capture intimate moments that revealed both the struggles and humanity within the hospital's walls.
Morton's photographs, which he recently shared on his Instagram page, have received widespread praise mixed with emotional responses from viewers. The images show patients in various states of their treatment, including one particularly poignant photograph of a man wearing a T-shirt that reads "Are you lonely I am Y???." A viewer discretion warning accompanies the photographs, as some images may be distressing to sensitive viewers.
The photographer's documentation came during a significant period in the hospital's history. Around the same time Morton was working there, a groundbreaking documentary called "Hurry Tomorrow" (1975) was filmed at Norwalk and caused considerable controversy after depicting patients being over-medicated. However, conditions at Metropolitan State Hospital have vastly improved since the 1970s, reflecting broader changes in mental healthcare practices across the United States.
Morton reflects on his experience with deep appreciation for the access he was granted. "I was allowed to capture pain and joy, often with a sense of humor that flowed within these walls," he adds. The photographs reveal moments of genuine human connection, struggle, and resilience that challenged common perceptions of psychiatric care during that era.
Beyond this hospital project, Morton has established himself as one of Los Angeles' most respected photographers. His diverse portfolio includes still photography for motion pictures and documentation of Mexican-American mobsters. He also founded Fototeka, an organization that gained unprecedented access to LAPD photo archives, further demonstrating his commitment to documentary photography that reveals hidden aspects of American society.
