I can see something that you can’t see

Even today, myths and prejudices about the phenomenon of autism abound. The artists affected by autism spectrum conditions are thought to include such great names as Andy Warhol and Salvador Dalí. This book presents creativity as the key to an alternative world view. It is a way of seeing things that is unconventional, by and large untouched by cultural conditioning and informed by powers of perception which are fundamentally different from ours. Serial works made up of innumerable chessboards, coding systems arranged in a grid, imaginary parallel worlds and fragmentary picture architectures are among the many works discussed. “Art by people with autism is rarely aimed at an audience and tends to be very close to the idea that more than anything else, art is an expression of the artist’s personality.” (Jan Hoet) This book is the first to bring together such a wide range of works by artists with autism. As such, it will help further the discovery of their creative potential and so prepare the ground for a new dialogue with them and for a more reflective approach to art and life.