Autist/Artist Blog

A blog about the development of our AA project

The artistic/autistic: The work of Bruce Nauman

Bruce Nauman once famously said: “If I was an artist, and I was in the studio, then whatever I was doing in the studio must be art.” Living a retreated life on his ranch in New Mexico, Nauman’s work has constantly stretched the definitions of art and ideas of what art can be. As a result, his work…

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During my visit to the Stedelijk museum together with autistic artist Martine Mussies and psychologist and autism expert Anna van der Miesen, these were the things we asked ourselves. Before we even start looking at the artwork we ran into issues, because how do we decide the difference between interpreting an artwork as autistic and projecting autism onto the artwork where there might be none? At the same time, we note that none of us approach the artwork as a blank slate, and the act of… By: Bruce Nauman
Gender Dysphoria and Autism

Let's discuss the notion of gender

Does gender simply refer to the binary sexes - male and female?

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"But you don't look autistic at all" Book Review

I finished Bianca Toeps’ “but you don’t look autistic at all” book on a sunny, but cold afternoon.

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The book opens with: “You walk out of the aeroplane via the jet bridge”. Man, I was hit with nostalgia. The feeling that I was craving for after more than a year of lockdown. But that nostalgia faded quickly. I was now intrigued. Why did Bianca open her book with that? How does this relate to being autistic? Bianca invites her readers to imagine the following scenario: think of how you feel when you first step out of the airport in a foreign country that you have never been to up until now. …
Language used to discuss autism

Which is correct: an autistic person or a person with autism?

I was spending the first week of my internship reading blogs, scientific papers, or articles. Things were going well, I was easing myself into the structure of a 9 to 5.

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Gender-biased research

Can women be autistic?

Two weeks into my research and I'm falling down a rabbit hole. Admittedly, before diving into this project, I have little to no knowledge about autism. Then with the amount of bombarded information I have subjected myself to, for pure entertainment purposes, of course, this question tickles the…

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Having a neurological disorder is challenging. To cope with it in daily life can be tough. How easy or hard the life of someone with a mental disorder is, depends largely on other people's understanding of the disorder. Autistic designer Asefeh Taybani created three objects that allow the public to experience a little how it is to be autistic. She strongly believes that being seen and feeling that you matter will empower her as well as other people with mental disorders – making them feel safe… By: Wisam Ali Mohammad

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With: Asefeh Tayebani
Kameleons

Op haar 48e kreeg Slappendel de diagnose autismespectrumstoornis. Wat voor haar begon als een shock en identiteitscrisis, vormde zij om tot twee prachtige series portretfotos: ‘Aan mij is niets te zien’ en ‘Kameleons’

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