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Autism and Art

NAS82522

Dear Community, 

I am an autistic artist and PhD researcher but there is something I continue to find very difficult and I am wondering who else has this experience? Whenever I am asked to describe what my work is about and what the deeper meanings might be I find this almost impossible on the spot, especially verbally. I can write and reflect but cannot seem to explain to my supervisors satisfaction. I have explained that I am Autistic but they still require me to quantify things verbally at every meeting. I seem to mask very well so I think people find it difficult to see me as Autistic but this type of situation, where there a vagaries of meaning unmask me completely, I have no idea how to deal with this or what alternatives I can give them! I am very literal and they want me to use very abstract theories that have subtleties of meaning I seem to miss... Any thoughts would be massively helpful. 

Parents

  • You could always turn the tables on them and ask what it suggests to them. Get them to make some suggestions, then pick the one you like best. Alternatively, say its a metaphor, for whatever you like: inner turmoil, life, death, growth, decay or 'the idea of a sneeze'. The more obscure the better.

  • in reply to Martin

    Yes good idea! Although I will be required to write about this in much detail... I was really wondering about how to get them to understand that talking about this is pretty challenging! Maybe I should use not speaking as part of the art!

  • in reply to NAS82522

    Once you have a peg, you can then hang your hat on it - an initial idea can be fleshed out later in writing. You could try not answering questions about your work, remaining silent until they feel uncomfortable. Then say, "If you are feeling uncomfortable due to my silence, it is not a quarter of the discomfort I feel when pressurised to dissect my work verbally, on the spot for you". Innocent

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  • in reply to NAS82522

    Once you have a peg, you can then hang your hat on it - an initial idea can be fleshed out later in writing. You could try not answering questions about your work, remaining silent until they feel uncomfortable. Then say, "If you are feeling uncomfortable due to my silence, it is not a quarter of the discomfort I feel when pressurised to dissect my work verbally, on the spot for you". Innocent

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