top of page
Soundmix_Madmax.jpg
Soundmix_Madmax.jpg

WORKSHOPS

The Archive Embodied

October, 2019

In collaboration with Turner Prize nominated arts collective Project Art Works, our first workshop featured large-screen installations of abridged sequences from archive films that depict autism and neurodivergence. Autistic participants were invited to reflect on how an anti-psychiatric gaze changes our perceptions of the movements and behaviours of the subjects on screen. Films shown included Deligny's Le Moindre Geste, Robina Rose's Jigsaw and Illustrations of Autism by McCarthy & Lowenstein.

Proxemics.jpg

SCREEN DYNAMICS

December, 2019

In December 2019, in collaboration with Dr Sebastian Gaigg of City University, we held our first Screen Dynamics workshop in the Arts One building at Queen Mary. Our interactive installations included an eye-tracker, a live mixing desk, a proxemics station and a reframing room. Participants were asked to view, remake and reshape clips from popular films such as Mad Max: Fury RoadNashvilleCitizen Kane and Punch-Drunk Love, as well as extracts from less mainstream cinema, such as Playtime and ScrapBook, to help us explore both the divergent viewpoint of autistic spectators and the assumed 'typicality' of conventional cinema.

 

A number of the autistic participants were subsequently invited to form a co-creation group for the Film Practice element of the wider project. This group eventually became the Neurocultures Collective

Sound Mix.jpg

Creative Home-kITs

May, 2020

Responding to the 2020 lockdown, a series of Creative Home Kits were mailed out to workshop participants and potential Neurocultures Collective members. These kits featured materials and instructions designed to guide creative neurodivergent thinkers to generate artworks at home.

IMG_8656.JPG

Representations of Autism Online Survey

July, 2020

During the summer of 2020 we conducted an online survey asking participants to respond to a number of questions about the representation of autism in popular film, TV, documentary, and online. Clips of selected films  included Temple Grandin, Life, Animated, Punch-Drunk Love, Mozart and the Whale, and the short film In My Language by Mel Baggs. The questions asked participants to consider whether the clips showed an accurate portrayal of autism or relied too heavily on inaccuracies and stereotypes. Lastly, those taking part where asked what kinds of representations they would like to see. We received 54 responses to the survey! 

TempleGrandinHBO.jpg

Learn about the project's main research questions, exploring the history of autism and cinema and its future potential.

Read the latest updates about the project, our upcoming events and explore the archive of our previous activities

bottom of page