Autistic art is art created by autistic artists which captures or conveys a variety of autistic experiences. Art by autistic artists has long been shown in separate venues from artists without disabilities. The art of autistic people has often been considered part of outsider art. There might be relationships between autism and talent due to the sensory hypersensitivity and the tendency of autistic people to concentrate more deeply on details. The works of some autistic artists have featured in art publications and documentaries and been exhibited in mainstream galleries. Now there are many autistic art programs and projects founded by nonprofit organizations, autistic artists or other institutions to help autistic people to express themselves and promote autistic art.
Overview
Autistic people have various differences in brain regions involving emotional processing, social cognition, face recognition, and executive functioning. They may hyper- and hypo-sensitive to sensory stimuli, even to the extent that they can't participate in normal social activities. For example, a child with autism may not be able to attend a movie due to the crowded and noisy environment. On the other hand, this kind of sensory hyper sensitivity may make an autistic person much more perceptive than an ordinary person. The extreme attention to detail that is common in autistic people may result talent in mathematics, art or other fields. Autistic persons who have talent in art are often outsiders in the art community. Unlike with common art, there is seldom any tradition or academic criteria in their creations. Each has their own style of art which, which may present the inner world of an autistic person.
People
Stephen Wiltshire -- typically depicts cityscapes in his work. He is one of the most famous autistic artists and his art usually surrounds architectural features.
Donna Williams -- focused on figurative works with an emphasis on movement.
Drawing Autism is a collection of images and artwork created by people who are diagnosed with autism. This collection features great creations of more than 50 autistic artists around the world and illustrates the potential for art of autistic persons as well as an insight into some of the characteristics of autism. The founder of the project is Jill Mullin, who is a board-certified behavior analyst. During her 15 years of experience working with autistic people, Jill has found that many of them are talented in mathematics, science and art.
The Art of Autism is a nonprofit organization which empowers autistic people and their families through the arts which includes visual arts, music, blogging, poetry, dance, and other art forms. They provide various opportunities for autistic artists to display their creations and share their personal stories as well as for merchandising the art works. In addition, they are dedicated to fostering the importance of art for autistic people and offering mentorship opportunities.
