Falmouth student’s photo series unmasks the reality of growing up with Autism and ADHD

Project statement

“Remember you weren’t the one who made you ashamed, but you are the one who can make you proud.” - Laura Hershey 

At primary school, a teacher told me I would end up in prison. I struggled more at home. Diagnosed since childhood with ADHD and Autism, my shouting and hitting no-one looked forward to. Stigmatised by the community, and isolated without adequate training, my family and I had to learn to cope. For me, I morphed myself to fit in, by hiding behind imaginary masks. 

A Dissonant Past Unmasked is a photographic project positioning my family and myself inside re-enactments of our lives. Private sufferings from the past are performed against the backdrop of suburban domesticity. Traversing bygone ruptures, my autobiographical approach is an attempt to acknowledge my history. By confronting my difficult past, I am looking for catharsis and closure within quiet scenes of dissonance. 

The complexities of disability are circumvented by society, as they seemingly misalign with standardised social norms. This has left us with no voice and our stories often told for us by someone else. I shine a light on my challenges, in the hope of encouraging others to take back control of their lives. In doing so, I seek to alter the way disability has been side-stepped by bringing visibility where there had been none.

By Emily June Smith