Another view
Exhibit opens windows on the world of autisum
A new art exhibit in the atrium of the Madeleine Clark Wallace Library offers an intriguing look at the world as seen through the eyes of a person with autism.
The show, The Art and Life Of Jessica Park: Windows on the World of Autism, features the art works of painter Jessica Park as well as photographs of her at work and at home. Her life and vision have been documented in The Siege and Exiting Nirvana, two books by her mother, Clara Claiborne Park.
"Jessica Park and her family have navigated a courageous and creative path through life with autism," said Grace Baron, professor of psychology whose scholarship focuses on understanding autism. "Jessica's art opens the doors and shows others the way not only to what one family can do, but also to the possibilities for a rich and fulfilling life for persons on the autism spectrum."
The exhibit, which is co-sponsored by Wheaton and the Groden Center in Providence, portrays the artist's journey out of the isolated world of autism. The show will be on display through March 31, including during the college's spring break, when the library is open. Admission is free.
Park's work can be associated with a style of art called outsider art, which describes artists who are mostly self-taught and art that is created outside the boundaries of mainstream culture.
Her paintings of buildings and landscapes are at once highly detailed depictions of the environment and fantasy-hued representations of the world.
"Outsider art is often seen as a great challenge to the wider art community," Baron said. "With outsider art, there tends to be either an over-embrace of the work or a complete disdain."
The exhibit holds special appeal for Wheaton because it lends itself to study from a number of perspectives and disciplines, including art, education, pscyhology, sociology and the natural sciences. "It's an amazing connections opportunity," Baron said.
Wheaton students played critical roles in organizing the exhibit. Seniors Whitney Alves, Mollie Denhard and Shannon Ryan oversaw the installation of the exhibit; junior Brandon Waltz and others created the web site for the show.
