Autography
- Stephen Thomas Cole -
Autism +
From the Greek autos (the self) and ismos (a state), meaning a STATE OF SELF
Photography
From the Greek photos (light) and graphos (drawing), meaning DRAWING WITH LIGHT
= Autography
Combining autism with photography to mean DRAWING WITH THE SELF
AUTISM is a lifelong developmental disability and is part of the autism spectrum.
Individuals with autism are each affected in different ways. Whilst some towards the higher functioning end of the spectrum may be able to live largely untroubled by the condition, others will be profoundly disabled and will require a lifetime of support. In between these two extremes live many tens of thousands of people with autism as a shared condition but with wildly differing experiences.
The project started as a self-contained one shot day of portraiture with the intention to cast an eye on a group of adults with autism as individuals in a way that society rarely, if ever, did with the intention to gain a greater understanding of them and empathy with their condition.
Following a remarkable response from the group to the action of the photography, the project developed into something far more profound, exploring the link between digital image making, composite, human expression, autistic spectrum disorder and the potential for therapeutic action within art practice.
© 2017 Stephen Thomas Cole