Brighton Alumni exhibit at very first Larnaca Biennale.
Two recent graduates from School of Architecture and Design, Marianna Demetriou and William Mondejar are presenting their installation ‘Aspie City’ at the first Larnaca Biennale. Aspie City aims to raise awareness for a marginal but special group of people with Asperger’s Syndrome. Below William describes the project.
In 1944 Dr. Hans Asperger wrote: “for success in science or art, a dash of autism is essential … the necessary ingredient may be the ability to turn away from the everyday world, from the simply practical, an ability to rethink a subject with originality to create in new, untrodden ways, with all abilities channelled into one speciality”[1].
According to Asperger, such individuals seem to think in pictures and their retention is visual rather than verbal, which leads to an inventive and creative way of thinking. ‘ASPIE CITY’ represents visually through its multiple layers of transparency their difficulties in daily life, as they live in their own world and see the outside world differently from others.
This installation unites twenty-five inspirational Aspies[2]from different time periods, countries, genders, and professions, to form a much larger image. Described by Dr. Tony Attwood as “a bright thread in the tapestry of life”[3], Aspies are important members of our community where difference should not be excluded, but welcomed and celebrated as in ‘ASPIE CITY’.
William is about to return to Brighton to undertake his Part Three and has promised to come and talk to current students about the project in the new year.
[1]Cairney, John. The Quest for Charles Rennie Mackintosh. Glasgow 2004.
[2]A list of famous people who either have or had Aspergers Syndrome during their life. Source: www.disabled-world.com, Published: 2017-11-10 (Revised/Updated 2018-01.29).
[3] Attwood, Tony. A Guide to Asperger’s Syndrome for Parents and Professionals. London 1997.