brain canvases: artist statement

Arts House Listening Program

(brain canvases) In collection we gestalt: A flock of birds in the wind A school of fish in the ocean Responding to water and wind Like minds moving in collection, together we gestalt --- Because these are the artworks of around 50 contributing artists it is a bit weird to title it for everyone. I don’t feel an ownership over my ideas or artworks. I do not believe in my identity as separate from society. I don’t believe my psychology is separate from my ancestry. I believe everything I make is informed by artists and psychologists I love. And stands on the shoulders of every social justice warrior that has fought for human rights. I acknowledge all the disabled and autistic people that wished they could have had an opportunity like this and died before they did. I acknowledge those that came before me who were institutionalised for life or lobotomised for my diagnosis. And all the autistic youth and adults currently living in nursing homes in Australia. In reality, there’s a lot of disagreement about what autism is. In my utopia the collective consciousness moves forward embracing a positive idea of autism that feels safe for everyone. Gestalt is a German word meaning whole. Where all the parts are integrated into the whole, and the whole is integrated into all of the parts. A memory of elephants. A paddle of platypus. A shadow of jaguars. A wisdom of wombats. A tower of giraffes. A bloat of hippopotamus. A mob of kangaroos. A parliament of owls. A parade of echidnas. A smack of jellyfish. A crackle of cockatoos. I like animal collective nouns. Do you? I imagine you in my collective society. Do you imagine me in a collective with you? Concept & Workshop Facilitation: Mishka Brain Artwork Contributors: Sophia Constantine, Irit Rozenfeld, Melody Shotade, Milly Cooper, Erin Vivian, Adam Seymour, Lucy Crossett, Mohamed Chamas, Tyrone, River Romano-Leuzzi, Mika Dick, Celia King, Ayesha Tauseef, Leah Pavlidis, Resin Alyssia, Patrick Fox, Antonia Green, Charlie Major, Luci Spectre, Lara Bardsley, Jacqueline Beckmann, Stav Shaul, Swann Biguet, Mia Pandji Sakti, Katina Anaipakos, Ben Dynan, Monika Andrew Poray, Asher Glass, Sam Petersen, Joshua Lynzaat, Sunny Short, Masoumeh Ahmadi, Rob Deguara, Sarah Rowbottam, Aarti Jadu, Goldie Barry, Mishka, Zoe, Sheshtin H, Stephen O, Alice B, Breanna F, Daniele C, Freya T, Kane S, Sinead S, Tallula B, Bryan J, Cheryl, Alison T, Cat S, Daniel C, Eza B, Patricia T, Jenny B, Mark D, Robert C.