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| [Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note |
Created by convict labour in the 1830's, many of the impressive architectural structures in Port Arthur remain today. In 1848, the harsh physical punishment focusing on the body was replaced in favour of punishment of the mind. Flogging gave way to solitary confinement. In keeping with this the Separate Prison was built and occupied at Port Arthur in 1850. Cruciform-shaped, each of the four wings comprised a central corridor flanked by rows of individual cells. Separated by thick sandstone walls, it was hoped that the convicts would benefit from contemplative silence and separation.
This is a photo of the church located in this new prison. It was the one time of the week prisoners were allowed out of their cell. To maintain isolation of the prisoners, anyone attending the church service was to stand in an individual booth which restricted peripheral vision and human contact. I took this photo from the prisoners POV in the booth and decided to leave the foreground to depict the visual obstruction. Most of the crimes which would land you a prison term here were extremely minor compared to todays standards. |
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