January 26 – May 22, 2026
In 1976, American photographer Mary Ellen Mark and sociologist Karen Folger Jacobs spent thirty-six days living in the Oregon State Hospital, where they photographed the residents of Ward 81, the hospital’s all-female, high-security psychiatric unit. Their unprecedented access allowed them to create a deeply nuanced portrayal of women navigating psychiatric care in the mid-1970s. Mary Ellen Mark: Ward 81 brings together Mark’s photographs, Jacobs’s newly uncovered audio recordings, and rare archival materials, offering an intimate and expanded view of this landmark documentary project.
Mary Ellen Mark, [Carol T. in the Mirror, Ward 81, Oregon State Hospital, Salem, Oregon, USA], 1976. © Mary Ellen Mark, courtesy of The Mary Ellen Mark Foundation.
Public Programming
In Conversation: Dr. Kaitlin Booher (Associate Curator of Photography, Columbus Museum of Art) and Dr. Holly Avella (Media and Communication Studies, UMBC)
Thursday, April 2, 5:00 pm, Library Gallery
Followed by a reception.
Free and open to the public.
Mary Ellen Mark, [Mona and Beth in the shower, Ward 81, Oregon State Hospital, Salem, Oregon, USA], 1976. © Mary Ellen Mark, courtesy of The Mary Ellen Mark Foundation.
Curator tour and opening Reception
Thursday, February 12, 5:00 pm, Library Gallery
Followed by a reception.
Free and open to the public.
Mary Ellen Mark, [Laurie in the Bathtub, Ward 81, Oregon State Hospital, Salem, Oregon, USA], 1976. © Mary Ellen Mark, courtesy of The Mary Ellen Mark Foundation.