aleph
AN EXPLORATION OF AUTISTIC PERCEPTION
Introducing my first full painting collection, aleph: An Exploration of Autistic Perception! This collection has been so liberating to create as I’ve engaged in a journey of self-discovery as an Autistic person and artist. And I have been consistently surprised by the kaleidoscope of terrazzo-like patterns that have emerged.
The name of the collection is taken from Jorge Luis Borges’ short story, “El Aleph.” In the story, Borges encounters the fantastical Aleph, a point in space that contains all other points, allowing him to see (to crib the title of a recent favorite movie of mine) Everything, Everywhere, All at Once.
“Lempicka” (aleph Collection, 2024)
I chose this name for several reasons: First, the organic or biomorphic shapes (I affectionately call them “blobs”) in these works reveal worlds of texture, pattern, and color, all tumbling past the viewer in a deluge. These shapes symbolize diverse lived experiences and perspectives—all of which Borges sees in a flash in his story.
Second, the short story presents a relatable, albeit exaggerated, account of what it's like to experience sensory overload as an Autistic person. I discovered my autism last year after decades of confusion and feeling “other.” Although we can’t know if Borges himself was Autistic, he adeptly presents here and in other stories like “Funes el memorioso” characters and scenarios that read as Autistic today.
The myriad shapes and colors don’t tell the viewer exactly what they are, though they suggest different images... before the viewer is pulled in a different direction by another of the “blobs.” I like to think this is almost like finding shapes in the clouds. To me, this is very similar to the high level of processing we Autistic folks have to do in making meaning from the overwhelming inputs of everyday life. It is my hope that this series gives allistic (non-Autistic) viewers more insight into what life is like for an Autistic person.
“everything, everywhere, all at once” (aleph Collection, 2024)
And finally, as a card-carrying linguist, and with apologies to more normal folks haha:
aleph is a letter from Semitic abjad writing systems, including Hebrew and Arabic, and it dates back to ancient times, appearing in Egyptian hieroglyphics and the Phoenician and Aramaic alphabets. The aleph tends to be nearly silent—but necessary: Phonetically, it usually represents what is called a “glottal stop,” basically meaning the air is being stopped without the production of a true consonant, or a “hiatus,” a separation of two vowels that appear side by side. This connection to air and human breath gives the letter, in certain Jewish traditions, ties to life itself and the divine.
Aleph also happens to be the first letter of the three Hebrew words that make up the name for God used in Exodus. In English, this name for God is often given as “I Am Who I Am” or “I Am What I Am”—which, as a huge Broadway nerd, I have to point out is also a song from La Cage aux Folles.
Borges would have been aware of all of this (well, not the “La Cage” part…) as a great language and religion scholar, but for this collection, I just love the connections to authenticity, power, and creativity: Another common translation of the name? “I Create What I Create.”
… and this is quite possibly the most Autistic explanation of abstract art that I could ever provide.
“kaleidoscope” (aleph Collection, 2024)