EXHIBITION STATEMENT

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Introduction.  Neurodivergence can be a misunderstood quality, or part of somebody’s being, and education on how neurodivergence affects people's lives is important. Thus, the Neurodivergent Revolution intends on integrating creative writing, research, and storyboarding in order to achieve a project that educates, but also can be a form of artistic appreciation. Poetry and scientific research, two mediums the artist never thought would be combinable. Hence, this capstone aims to achieve something out of the ordinary, portraying that is important for everybody to be aware of. Understanding the mannerisms, mechanisms, and ways in which neurodivergent individuals perceive and respond to the world can help bridge the gap between neurotypicals and neurodivergent individuals. The Neurodivergent Revolution will be a total of three Acts in the following order: introduction/research, artist recognition, and then poems to convey what the artist took away from the research.

Literature Review. 

In an article written the University of Manchester, researchers examined the history of autism research and intervention methods with the intention of redefining the ways in which neurodivergence is viewed in different fields. The Neurodivergent movement was not only a social movement, but also a scientific one in which the field of psychology, medicine, and research worked together to learn more about Neurodivergence in a more inclusive and non stigmatizing way. The vice versa was also just as important; the Neurodivergent movement was a huge social movement and worked together with medicine to help eliminate the stigma with those who were "disordered."

Subject –

This is a dissertation written by Laura Harrison that explains the debilitating nature of capitalism on the neurodivergent community, queer individuals, and other marginalized groups. This dissertation does great at explaining the social and economic implications of capitalism on these disadvantaged groups. The main idea was that neurodivergent, queer, and other “disadvantaged” individuals under the system we live in fail to accommodate to these groups of people as capitalism tends to reward neurotypicals. For example, the toxic positivity culture established under capitalism fails to consider how neurodivergent people struggle under such a notion, as neurodivergent people may require accommodations in order to thrive in a certain environment, such as a professional workplace. As a result, these groups of people resort to hidden safe spaces online to communicate their concerns with other people who relate to them. These ideas that built upon each other helped form the basis of the artists project; that these individuals are just as "normal" as your "average neurotypical."

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Methods. The primary research method for this project was archival research from databases such as UMD’s library, psychology databases, and google searches to find neurodivergent artists. The main research done was on different types of neurodiversity and how neurodivergent individuals operate based on their neurological differences. The artist reviewed scientific studies, news articles, and other blog posts that talked about the symptoms of each type of neurodiversity. They took a look at autism, ADHD, and dyslexia. Their main takeaways were that neurodivergent individuals do not function the way they are, not because they are “broken” or “disabled,” but because they simply have neurological differences than those who are neurotypical. For example, those with ADHD

may struggle to comprehend everything being said in a conversation and maintain eye contact at the same time. These are the small, yet significant parts of neurodiversity that the artist found important. The website https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories was used as a medium to place all the information and poems.

Audience & Impact. The artist invites everybody to consume their work. However, in a more narrowed scope, the intended audience are neurodivergent individuals and neurotypicals to help educate them on the topic of neurodivergence. Bridging the gap between neurodivergence and neurotypicals can help create empathy and understanding between the two groups. This project can help act as a resource for those looking to learn more about neurodivergence, especially as a neurotypical person. The artist wants the viewer to walk away from this resource with better understanding and empathy towards the subject of neurodivergence, so the next time they interact with these types of people they aim to understand rather than judge.

References. 

Rowland, David. “Redefining Autism.” Journal of Neurology, Psychiatry and Brain Research, vol. 2020, no. 02, 2020, doi:10.37722/jnpabr.20202. 

Pearson, Amy, and Kieran Rose. “A Conceptual Analysis of Autistic Masking: Understanding the Narrative of Stigma and the Illusion of Choice.” Autism in Adulthood, vol. 3, no. 1, 2021, pp. 52–60., doi:10.1089/aut.2020.0043.

Adams, Jon, et al. “Jon Adams, Konfirm: Arts Catalyst.” Jon Adams, Konfirm, Arts Catalyst, 13 June 2013, www.artscatalyst.org/jon-adams-konfirm.

Harrison, Laura. University of California, Santa Cruz. ProQuest Dissertations Publishing, 2019. 27669668.

Leadbitter, K., Buckle, K. L., Ellis, C., & Dekker, M. (2021). Autistic self-advocacy and the Neurodiversity Movement: Implications for Autism Early Intervention Research and Practice. Frontiers in Psychology, 12.

https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.635690

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Acknowledgements. Heather Bremenstuhl, Gabi Tillenburg