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Shauna Phoon
Shauna Phoon
Shauna Phoon, born in 1989, is an Australian photographer who enjoys taking pictures of people. Besides photography, she's also a decent jewelry designer. Her vision was to spread awareness and signify what autistic people go through in life.
Background
Background
Shauna wasn't like every other person around her. At a young age, she saw life from a different point of view and spend most of her time being alone. For almost a decade, Shauna went through therapy because she was desperate to find answers on why she was not like everyone around her. It wasn't until in her early 20s (2009) when she discovered her diagnosis of ASD (autism spectrum disorder) / autism. Despite her diagnosis, she understood a little bit more about herself. She also became fascinated with on the process of how other people on the spectrum cooperate with life. Around that time, she attended Carnegie Mellon University to study how the brain effects humans that have and don't have autism. She found out that anyone who isn't on the spectrum have dependable arrangements between sections of the brain. Those who are on the spectrum have incompatible arrangements, which shows a distinctive pattern of how autistic people cooperate in their own unique ways. Her research inspired her to create photos of people on the spectrum, which became known as the Absence of Normal. The Absence of Normal is a series of photos that shows the faces of people on the spectrum. It became a successful project for Shauna because it made her viewers appreciate the fact that there was nothing wrong about being autistic and our differences is one of the things that make us unique. As of today she continues to make photographs and includes anyone who wants to be a part of her project.
Why I choose this artist.
I thought this artist was a good choice because her work and ability to spread autism awareness doesn't get too much attention from the public. I also wanted to find someone that I can connect to with my own personal life. When I was four, I saw life from a different point of view. Furthermore, I felt surely isolated and had trouble cooperating with other kids. My parents took me to a few therapy appointments to find out why I've been behaving so differently. It was around the same time when they introduced me to photography and how it can be used as a creative hobby. As I got older my behavior changed and as my behavior changed my communication skills were improving. It wasn't until in middle school when my parents told me that I had autism when I was four years old. I was surprised to hear the news and while that moment changed my life for good, I began to understand more of who I am. Another factor is that her work reminds me of some of the moments that I went through when I was young. While my autism still affects me, her photos prove that there's nothing wrong with being too different from everyone else.
The Absence of Normal: Nathaniel
The Absence of Normal: Nathaniel
Date: 9/16/2015
Initial Dimension: 3.78 x 5.21
Print Type: Photo
Source: The Absence of Normal - Faces of Autism (tumblr.com)
The Absence of Normal: Grandpa
The Absence of Normal: Grandpa
Date: 11/23/2015
Initial Dimension: 3.55 x 5.21
Print Type: Photo
Source: The Absence of Normal - Faces of Autism (tumblr.com)
The Absence of Normal: Karl
The Absence of Normal: Karl
Date: 2/14/2016
Initial Dimension: 3.63 x 5.21
Print Type: Photo
Source: The Absence of Normal - Faces of Autism (tumblr.com)
Sources
Shauna Phoon | The Genius of Autism Wiki | Fandom
Autistic Photographer Captures the Perfectly Diverse 'Faces of Autism' (themighty.com)
13 Amazing Artists on the Autism Spectrum You Need to Check Out (yahoo.com)
The Absence of Normal - Faces of Autism (tumblr.com)
(This link takes you to a web page that does show one image of a person showing his naked butt. I normally never show this kind of content, but this is her real tumbler page and it’s where I was able to find a little more information on some of the images I have chosen.)
Questions for Looking
•What conditions do you think these people are going through in the photos?
•What message is Shauna Phoon trying to deliver when looking at her work?
•How do you think viewers who are on the ADS (autism spectrum disorder) are going to react when they see these photos?
•How do you think viewers, who aren't on the ADS, are going to feel when they look at the photos?
•Does Shauna Phoon's work inspire you to do something unique in photography?
•How could Shauna Phoon change the way ADS people are seen?
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