“My work originally started as a method to raise awareness about the challenges that people with autism face. The artwork was always representational and initially took the form of static creations, such as sculptures. This did not convey the full meaning of my work and could be improved upon, through interactive creations, as people with autism mostly face challenges through sensory and emotional processing. These two aspects of Autism can result in difficulties with social interactions.
This has fostered the most recent phase of my practice, which focuses on tackling these challenges through human-computer interaction and a focus on playfulness. The aim of my work is no longer to simply raise awareness of the challenges individuals with autism face, but to attempt to provide a medium for people with disabilities to express themselves with.
This work takes its form as simple digital games which are controlled by the user’s body movements via electronic sensors. The current games are based on proximity. The distance the user is from the sensor determines what happens on the screen. The reason for using sensors to operate the games is directly connected to the target audience, that of people with disabilities. Some people may not have the motor control to operate a keyboard or gamepad, but their body’s position may be able to change what happens on the screen.
This is but a stepping stone in my artistic practice. I aim to develop something that can be used by disabled children in schools to express themselves creatively and emotionally. I believe that playfulness is extremely important to personal wellbeing and providing disabled individuals with a medium to express themselves is important.”
