The perception and experience of autism expressed through visual constructs

I am an autistic person and I perceive the world differently to neurotypical, non-autistic people. This study aims to explore this difference in perception by analysing my experience of autism and looking to express this difference through artistic practice. Through my research I have determined that although there are many artists who are autistic there is a lack of autistic artists who are exploring the state of autism through their artistic research practice. This study aims to fill this gap in knowledge and explore an autistic persons perception through the production of a series of artworks. My methodology involved an analysis of my own autism couple with extensive research into autism. Through my text I refer to the work of Dr Simon Baron Cohen and Dr Uta Frith, two leading world experts on autism, and accounts by other autistic people of their lives like Dr. Temple Grandin. I also interviewed the mother of noted autistic ‘savant’ Stephen Wiltshire. Through this study I ask the following questions: How is it possible to communicate the autistic perception to a neurotypical, a non-autistic person? How is it possible to create visual metaphors replicating the emotional landscape of an autistic person through use of visual and sonic metaphors? My conclusions point towards a definite difference between perception in an autistic person and a neurotypical and these can be shown through visual correlations. These differences thus expressed can potentially afford a shared experience with neurotypicals. My findings will be of interest to autistic artists and to anyone interested in finding out more about the relationship between art and autism.

Grantor dc:publisher

Oxford Brookes University

Author dc:creator

• Glynn, Paul John

Contributors dc:contributor

• Whitty, Paul
• Lee, Ray

Statement dc:rights

• All rights reserved

Language dc:language

en

DOI dc:identifier

https://doi.org/10.24384/8v2q-hg85

OAI identifier oai:identifier

tle:7441b2bb-0748-4531-b9fe-cf0bbab13bc6:d6bd9758-527a-46cd-bfe2-c433766e8fca:1