a b n o r m a l
A photo documentary on the lives of five autistic children
A photo documentary on the lives of five autistic children
Autism. What exactly is it? The word and developmental disorder is often associated with negative connotations.
This photo documentary of the lives of five autistic children challenges the viewer to see autistic people as ‘normal’, including images of the children which show them doing things that ‘normal people’ would do too. Although there is no doubt that autistic people are definitely not the same as you and I, there is also the deeper question of what ‘normal’ is defined as. Who defined us neurotypicals as ‘normal’, and anybody else who does not act the way we do as ‘abnormal’? The viewer is called to realign his/her perspectives of what constitutes ‘normal’ and what does not. In doing so, a sense of acceptance towards autism is hoped to be achieved, because of the realization that we are not in the position to say that they are ‘abnormal’ either.
These stories were originally presented in the form of a publication, and was "told" by the loved ones of these children. Text were excerpted from the book, Come Into My World: 31 Stories of Autism in Singapore by Brenda Tan.
This photo documentary of the lives of five autistic children challenges the viewer to see autistic people as ‘normal’, including images of the children which show them doing things that ‘normal people’ would do too. Although there is no doubt that autistic people are definitely not the same as you and I, there is also the deeper question of what ‘normal’ is defined as. Who defined us neurotypicals as ‘normal’, and anybody else who does not act the way we do as ‘abnormal’? The viewer is called to realign his/her perspectives of what constitutes ‘normal’ and what does not. In doing so, a sense of acceptance towards autism is hoped to be achieved, because of the realization that we are not in the position to say that they are ‘abnormal’ either.
These stories were originally presented in the form of a publication, and was "told" by the loved ones of these children. Text were excerpted from the book, Come Into My World: 31 Stories of Autism in Singapore by Brenda Tan.
Ezra, 10
"Autism isn’t something a person has, or a 'shell' that a person is trapped inside. Autism is a way of being." - Jim Sinclair
"Autism isn’t something a person has, or a 'shell' that a person is trapped inside. Autism is a way of being." - Jim Sinclair
