Why a photo project on autism?

This project was born out of my own need to make sense of my son’s autism and the role it plays in his life and in my own life.

I wanted to better understand because I wanted to be a better parent for him but also for myself. We’re all children and we’re all trying to grow our healthy adult so that it can care of that child.

I also wanted to make the world of autism more visible for the wider world. To go beyond the quirkiness, the stereotypes, and the prejudices. To show what it’s like to live with autism for those who have the condition, but also for the family, friends and anybody else directly related to them.

In order to do that, the project tries to paint a picture of their life context and of the broader social context. What does their autism mean in terms of daily tasks, parenting, autonomy, relationships, or work? What are the coping mechanisms they develop? How is the interaction between people with autism and their non-autistic peers? How do the carers of autistic kids organize their life, build support systems for their children, and manage psychologically?

The project is not meant to focus on the difficulty of the subject’s situation, but rather give a sense of intimate connection. The idea is not to transform them into heroes, into victims, to emphasize their disability or, on the contrary, their potential hyper-abilities. 

The work tries to create a bond with the viewer/reader by presenting the subjects’ day-to-day experiences and struggles. It aims to shed light on the shared vulnerability and humanity of autistic and non-autistic subjects, behind the real or perceived difference.