“Beyond the Rainbow: Empowering Autistic Voices”

Approximately one in 36 children in the US are reported to have Autism Spectrum Disorder. Nonetheless, those with autism are often depicted in the media, aside from a few shows, as peculiar savants: excelling in limited areas while appearing otherwise useless or vulnerable. The current exhibition at the Center for Documentary Studies titled “Visible Spectrum: Portraits from the World of Autism” seeks to confront these misconceptions, employing the art of photography to illustrate the everyday lives of autistic individuals.

“Visible Spectrum: Portraits from the World of Autism” is derived from a photographic collection bearing the same title by Mary Berridge. Berridge is a skilled photographer with a focus on social issues whose work has been displayed nationwide and has garnered numerous accolades, including a Guggenheim Fellowship. She is also the mother of an autistic child and an engaged member of the Autism Society, a group that advocates for the autistic community.

This combination of her professional work as a photographer and her personal experiences within the autistic community motivated her to portray the lives of these individuals. She utilized the connections she had to enlist participants willing to be photographed.

The exhibition was organized at Duke by students enrolled in the Documentary Studies course “Photo Fever: Curating Photography Exhibitions” (DOCST 333S/733S.) Within this course, a cohort of undergraduate and graduate students was assigned the task of curating a photographic exhibition. They opted to showcase Berridge’s collection and selected a total of 20 images for display in a room on the lower level of the Center for Documentary Studies’ facility.

The featured photographs illustrate around 10 autistic individuals, nearly all of whom were teenagers or children when the images were captured. Each subject is a present or former resident of the North Carolina community, and their images are accompanied by written reflections provided by either the individuals themselves or, when necessary, their parents. The personal nature of the commentaries is enhanced by Berridge’s distinctive photography. The images are enlightening yet respectful and offer insights into the subjects’ inner experiences, clearly influenced by her own journey as a parent of an autistic child.

The individuals displayed in the exhibition embody a wide spectrum of abilities within the autism community, encompassing both higher and lower support requirements. The photographs and reflections encompass various aspects of their lives, from daily routines at home to excursions in nature and family gatherings. We observe the children within their residences, at school, and in outdoor settings. In doing so, the exhibit dispels prevalent myths about the autistic community, contesting the notion of autism as a singular entity.

During the opening of the exhibit, Berridge delivered a talk in which she shared her motivation behind creating the photographic display. She recounted capturing an image of her child during a holiday and recognizing how many of the aspects she cherished about him were intricately connected to his autism. She spoke about how autism presents both challenges and advantages and emphasized the unique viewpoint that individuals with autism possess regarding the world around them. Furthermore, she acknowledged several students involved in curating the exhibit as well as some individuals featured in the exhibition who have since come to experience it.

The exhibition is overall engaging and well-organized. The photographs are positioned in a manner that effectively utilizes the space they occupy, and the chosen images are both thought-provoking and informative. Significant consideration was afforded to ensuring a genuinely accessible exhibition, including a specific area for autistic attendees who may feel overwhelmed, allowing them to enjoy the exhibit in comfort. The images and commentaries adeptly underline that, while autistic individuals may appear vastly different on the surface, their lives are rich with universally relatable experiences – ranging from awkward social gatherings to individual preferences.