Journal: International Journal of Practice Based Humanities

ISSN   2207-3086
Date: 2023 (still to be published)

While neurodiverse literature in the visual arts is predominantly an emerging field, a significant gap in research, relational between dyslexia and visual arts practice in Australia (Percy, 2022) invites further investigation into better representation and inclusive paradigms.  Awareness of dyslexia is growing in education with several advocacy groups, such as SPeLD, and Victorian Dyslexia Support, and the development of the Victorian Government Diverse Learners Hub disseminating information and support for young learners. Yet despite these wider tropes, dyslexia is often delegated to a secondary concern within the context of neurodiversity[1] (Dunford, 2020), seldom referenced as its own term, or forgotten altogether (Percy, 2022). A recent search of entries within peak visual art organisations, major university research institutes and art disability groups in Australia found no results that included the terms ‘dyslexia’ and ‘art’ (Percy, 2022). This paper questions the impact of dyslexia on visual art practice in Australia and the importance of artists disclosing their dyslexia within safe and inclusive art discourse.

In a recent article in Artlink, Bruce E. Phillips (2022: 35) argues that the dialogue around inclusion and diversity often misses neurodiversity, a term coined by the sociologist Judy Singer in 1998 referring to “infinite neuro-cognitive variability” as a social and political framing device.

Whilst neurodiversity is largely associated with Autism Spectrum Disorder, there is growing motivation to incorporate dyslexia, dyscalculia, dysgraphia, dyspraxia and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder under its umbrella (Cooper, 2006: 4). My primary focus is on dyslexia, but I use both dyslexia and neurodiversity, depending on whether expanding to address broader neurodiverse concerns or contracting to concentrate on the specific challenges associated with dyslexia, including dyscalculia, dysgraphia, and dyspraxia.

Comprehension is accumulating that dyslexia is of neurological origin, a difference in brain wiring, and is for life and not a curable defect (Covello, A. 2019). 

This paper is concerned with dyslexia being invisible within the current public art discussion in Australia. Why there is a lack of visibility opens several conjectures, the first being that dyslexia is often misrepresented as only affecting children’s ability to read and not fully understood on how it may impact adults. (McDermott, 2022). Dyslexic people may mask their difference by avoiding tasks that they find difficult like reading long reports (The Dyslexia Association), or they may not have ‘come out’ in fear of personal or professional retaliation (Galluzzo, 2019). Despite work being undertaken to address the stigma of dyslexia in primary and secondary education, a recent study by LaTrobe University found that being dyslexic holds shame or trauma for many adults and found that 67% of dyslexic people interviewed did not feel good about themselves (Wissell, et al. 2022 : 11991). Dyslexic people often report making it through school by deflection, tenacity, and wit (Wissell). Those who were fortunate to be diagnosed or recognised within the school system, may have had additional support or accommodations, but most were undiagnosed and therefore underperformed or left school early (Wissell, et al. 2022).  The lack of disclosure or awareness affects the percentage of artists who identify as dyslexic and therefore affects the public art discourse. 

Further reasons we may not be seeing dyslexia and neurodiversity being discussed more broadly is that many individuals do not have a formal assessment, thus may not attribute their difference to dyslexia or other neurodiversities (Australian Dyslexia Association). Phillips (2022: 35) queries “that a significant proportion (of neurodivergents) will be working in the arts given that core neurodivergent’s strengths align with those associated with creative practice”. This notion is echoed by research into the prevalence of dyslexic students at art schools by Wolff, U. and Lundberg, I. (2002) who also noted around 25 percent of students at Goteborg Art School were dyslexic. Another study cited 30 percent of students at St Martins College of the Arts (Paggett, noted by Eide and Eide 1999: 54) were dyslexic.

If dyslexia is estimated to be at least 10 - 20% of the population (Australian Dyslexia Association) why are we not seeing these numbers reported within artists in Australia? Feeling safe to ‘disclose’ is reported difficult for dyslexic people within the workplace (Wissell, 2022). Charity organisation, Made by Dyslexia, claim 80 percent of adults who are dyslexic leave school without being formerly assessed. Several reasons for this staggering number may include a lack of understanding of dyslexia, the stigma of being dyslexic and the costs associated in Australia to get a formal assessment (currently between $1,500 – $2,000). The final reason is that dyslexia is typically linked with reading and spelling deficits in children and not credited for its inherent strengths. Dyslexia often results in strong problem-solving skills, deeper critical thinking and visual reasoning skills, traits common to artistic practice (Cowen, 2014).

The absence of references is also apparent in New Zealand, when Phillips observed that “Out of an estimated sample size of 4,728 exhibition records this survey found no art exhibitions between 1970 and May 2021 that used the term ‘neurodiverse’ and none that described similar theories or concepts” (2022: 42:2:35). This highlights a distinct lack of visibility, rendering those of us that identify as dyslexic, voiceless in the current climate of inclusion. 

As a dyslexic artist, I experience misapprehension when I mention dyslexia in art applications. This paper argues several possibilities including: misunderstanding of what dyslexia is; to a lack of attention in the media; and to the stigma that: “People with dyslexia are often regarded as defective, as missing something-a facility in reading or linguistic thinking-which the rest of us have.” (West, 2009: 11).

Dyslexia does not present with any visible signs like other disabilities, yet it can affect dyslexics ability to succeed to their full potential. Many dyslexics have experienced poor support in early schooling, left school under achieving and may attribute this as trauma in later life (Alexander-Passe, 2015). As a dyslexic, I used a combination of strategies to mask or circumnavigate the challenges I experienced at school with poor spelling, writing and difficulties misreading tasks. I now know that I have low executive functioning meaning I found organisation tasks and activities problematic, like submitting assignments, completing projects, or participating in exams. I spent a large proportion of energy finding ways to avoid handing in work or finishing obligations. Since then, I have developed strategies and systems to excel as a manager overseeing teams and large projects. 

Common strengths for dyslexics are visual-spatial reasoning (Alexander-Passe, 2010: 25). Artists have reported that they use visual-spatial abilities by imagining a space, like a gallery, and preconceiving an artwork, within the space “like a flash of an idea” or using visual-spatial capability to look at problems from different angles (Alexander-Passe, 2010: 110), other dyslexics speak about being able to create models of complex machines and devices in their minds (West, 2017: 72).  Some artists mention visualising a place to remember a story, complete with details of the way the light fell or how they felt within the space. The ability to think in a non-linear and spatial format allows an artist to work both spontaneously and with precision often jumping from the conception to production circumnavigating the process (Alexander-Passe, 2010: 110).

This leads me the questions: how does dyslexia influence visual art practice and does visual-spatial reasoning enhance artistic ability?

The Art of Not Knowing and how dyslexic thinking affirms art practice.

Artists often begin something without knowing how it will turn out. In practice, this translates as thinking through doing. Some of the methods used by artists to drive the creative process or work out problems can seem counter-intuitive or irrational: distraction or relinquishing control, embracing chance and collaboration; following a hunch rather than a rationale; privileging the sense over the intellect. (Fisher and Fortnum 2013)

The process of discovery through manners such as ‘relinquishing control’, ‘embracing chance’ and ‘distraction’ is a problematic depiction as it portrays the artist as being unpredictable and volatile, governed by whim, rather than a person who intellectually makes rational decisions based on insight, experience, and the ability to pre-know their work (Levine, 2016). Dyslexic people are known for being able to visualise a concept in complex detail (Alexander-Passe, 2010: 28) they are often able to draw on an intuitive ability to see an object, environment, or image within their mind’s eye (West, 2009: 72). In my own practice, I refer to this as an ‘aha moment’ as it is the instant of inspiration and knowing. I use this method in my work and will often have periods waiting for the aha-moment which can result in feeling frustrated, disempowered, or having ‘artist’s block’. Working through this moment can be, as the paragraph suggests, a time for distraction, or as I like to put it ‘putting my house into order’. This is both a metaphoric and a physical action, and I have learnt to use these times productively (Percy, 2022).  

The title of my PhD research, Visualising the Invisible, illuminates the ability to pre-visualise artwork in detail and I found evidence of this ability in my sketch book from 1994, with detailed accounts of unmade photo based artworks, that have relevance to my art practice today. The aptitude to archive ideas in the mind has been recorded by other dyslexics, including Winston Churchill, who was observed as exploiting visual memory to file images as a method to design his war strategies, Churchill was also a notable artist, a factor that may have enhanced his tactical brilliance, as he could visualise complex scenarios in detail (West, 2009: 377n33). The use of visual memory is linked to spatial intelligence and provides a clue into dyslexic thinking as Howard Gardner remarks:

…spatial intelligence entail's a number of loosely related capacities: the ability to recognise instances of the same element; the ability to transform or recognise a transformation of one element into another; the capacity to conjure up mental imagery and then to transform that imagery; (and) the capacity to produce graphic likeness of spatial information. (West, 2009: 44)

Here are insights into the unconscious methods dyslexics use to develop and manipulate visual imagery through pattern recognition, transformation of spatial environments and reproduction of information into visual metaphor. Being adept in these traits would inform visual art practice by enhancing the opportunity to create within the mind, shifting quickly from idea to production, side stepping the process stage (Alexander-Passe, 2010: 110).

The description in On Not Knowing : How Artists Think, calls into question that artists produce work by ‘thinking through doing’, positioning the work of creating artwork into a process of action and discovery (Fisher and Fortnum 2013, preface). This action requires an artist to utilise materiality to unearth or innovate the creation of art through the cyclic act of investigation, experimentation, and the “interactive labour of making”. This process involves an intimate relationship with materials to shape responses and encapsulates a co-emergence and dynamic relationship to self and substance (Bolt, 2004: 78).

It is often the act or translation from internal vision into materiality that makes me stumble. How do I replicate my initial concept into a concrete artwork? For me, this is a challenge as often the material artwork does not retrofit the idea meticulously which leaves me disappointed and frustrated. The act of physical or digital construction, misappropriates the vision as the tangible is substandard to the imagined and requires a process of trust and acceptance. Developing an artwork involves a translation from the indiscernible, mental image into substance through materials, code, and space, resulting an artwork that becomes a novel version of the initial concept, with various levels of success (Percy, 2022).

In conclusion, this paper has highlighted that there is an absence of discussion of dyslexia within art discourse in Australia and asks why it is imperative to disclose dyslexia in creative industries. This paper acknowledges the necessity for more research into the following questions: how many artists currently identify as dyslexic; do attributes associated with dyslexia, such as visual-spatial reasoning, affect how dyslexic artists create; and if more artists seek an assessment and disclose being dyslexic, will it expand awareness of the impact of dyslexia on creative industries in Australia and create more opportunities for dyslexic artists? Through ongoing research there is an opportunity to alter the narrative in Australian art by contributing the dyslexic voice to neurodiversity and identity discourses, broadening the climate of inclusiveness.  

References:

Dunford, G, Arts for all – The ArtsHubbub looks at making the arts more accessible, ArtsHub, 2020 https://www.artshub.com.au/news/news/arts-for-all-the-artshubbub-looks-at-making-the-arts-more-accessible-260795-2367999/ accessed 8/12/2022

Percy, K, unpublished research, Federation University, 2022

Covello, A. 2019 Into The Dyslexic Brain - 4 Illustrated Differences To Guide You Through How The Brain Learns, Medium. 2019 Medium. Available at: https://medium.com/@alessiacovello/into-the-dyslexic-brain-4-illustrated-differences-to-guide-you-through-how-the-brain-learns-edc4d887b64 accessed November 30 2022

Cooper, R. Neurodiversity And Dyslexia; Challenging The Social Construction Of Specific Learning Difficulties, London South Bank University, 2006. p. 4

Phillips, B. E. Some Struggles Are Invisible : Art, Neurodiversity, and Aotearoa, Artlink, Spring 2022, 42:2:35

Singer, J. What Is Neurodiversity? https://neurodiversity2.blogspot.com/p/what.html accessed 12 September 2022

McDermott, N. Signs And Symptoms Of Dyslexia In Adults, 2022 https://www.forbes.com/health/mind/signs-of-dyslexia-in-adults/ accessed 3 December 2022

The Dyslexia Association, Adults With Dyslexia: Adults With Dyslexia Are All Different https://www.dyslexia.uk.net/adults-with-dyslexia/ accessed 3 December 2022

Galluzzo, M. We Need To Talk About Dyslexia At Work, 2019 https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20190702-we-need-to-talk-about-dyslexia-at-work accessed 3 December 2022

Wissell, S. et al. Leading Diverse Workforces: Perspectives from Managers and Employers about Dyslexic Employees in Australian Workplaces, 2022 International journal of Environmental Research And Public Health, p. 11991.

Wissell, S. Shae’s Story: The School Years https://www.deardyslexic.com/the-school-years accessed 3/12/2022

Wissell, S. et al. 2022 In a recent study by LaTrobe University conducted by Wissell et al, :Only 43% of people survived felt able to disclose their dyslexia within a work environment.” Leading Diverse Workforces:  Perspectives From Managers And Employers Dbout Dyslexic Employees In Australian Workplaces https://www.deardyslexic.com/our-reseach-with-la-trobe-univeristy accessed 1 September 2022

Australian Dyslexia Association “Dyslexia is estimated to affect some 10% of the Australian population

This may be a conservative estimate as many individuals are left unidentified in the Australian population. In other English-speaking countries (first language) the figures are estimated to be up to 20% (UK, Canada, UK)”. https://dyslexiaassociation.org.au/dyslexia-in-australia/ accessed 1 June 2021

Phillips, B. E. Some Struggles Are Invisible : Art, Neurodiversity, and Aotearoa, Artlink, Spring 2022, 42:2:35

Wolff, U. and Lundberg, I. The Prevalence of Dyslexia Among Art Students, 2002, https://www.researchgate.net/publication/11380532_The_Prevalence_of_Dyslexia_Among_Art_Students

Eide, B. and Eide, Dyslexic Advantage: Unlocking the Hidden Potential of the Dyslexic Brain, F. 1999 p. 54

Wissell, S. Why Is It Important To Create Psychologically Safe Workplaces For People To Openly Disclose Their Disability? 2022

https://www.deardyslexic.com/News/why-is-it-important-to-create-psychologically-safe-workplaces-for-people-to-openly-disclose-their-disability accessed 3 December 2022

Made By Dyslexia, https://www.madebydyslexia.org/inspire/ accessed 12 September 2022

Cowen, C. D. Dyslexia and Visuospatial Processing Strengths: New Research Sheds Light, 2014 International Dyslexia Association, https://dyslexiaida.org/dyslexia-and-visuospatial-processing/

Gorman, V. Art of the Possible, ABC, 2019 https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-11-07/art-of-the-possible/11682980

West, T.G. In the Mind’s Eye: Creative Visual Thinkers, Gifted Dyslexics And The Rise Of Visual Technologies. 2009. Foreword to the second edition Oliver Sacks, M.D, p. 11

Alexander-Passe, N. Investigating post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) triggered by the experience of dyslexia in mainstream school education?, 2015 Journal of Psychology & Psychotherapy, 05(06). https://doi.org/10.4172/2161-0487.1000215. Accessed 3 December 2022

West, T. G. Seeing What Others Cannot See: The Hidden Advantages Of Visual Thinkers And Differently Wired Brains, 2017, p 72

West, T.G. In the Mind’s Eye: Creative Visual Thinkers, Gifted Dyslexics And The Rise Of Visual Technologies. 2009. p 377n33

West, T.G. In the Mind’s Eye: Creative Visual Thinkers, Gifted Dyslexics And The Rise Of Visual Technologies. 2009. p 44

Alexander-Passe, N. Dyslexia And Creativity Investigations From Differing Perspectives, 2010. p 110

Bacon, A.M. and Handley, S. J. Dyslexia, Reasoning And The Importance Of Visual-Spatial Processes, Alexander-Passe, N. Dyslexia And Creativity Investigations From Differing Perspectives, 2010, p. 25   

Fisher, E. and Fortnum, R. On Not Knowing : How Artists Think, 2013, preface

Alexander-Passe, N. Dyslexia And Creativity Investigations From Differing Perspectives, 2010. p 28

Levine, S. Artistic Creativity and Psychological Distress: The belief that artists are predisposed to psychological disorders is invalid. Psychology Today, 2016 accessed 5 December 2022
 

West, T. G, In the Mind’s Eye, Creative Visual Thinkers, 2009, p 35-36

Bolt, B. Art Beyond Representation : The Performative Power Of The Image, 2004, p 78

Fisher, E. and Fortnum, R. On Not Knowing : How Artists Think, 2013, preface

[1] The umbrella term ‘neurodiversity’ is growing traction in art forums, yet this term is only now finding support, with Arts Projects, Art el al, Arts Access, Accessible Arts and Arts Access Australia, promoting neurodiversity and art within Australia and often from a platform of disability

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REVIEW FORM: INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PRACTICE BASED HUMANITIES

www.pbhjournal.net ISSN 2207 3086

TITLE OF PAPER: The Art Of Invisibility: Why Dyslexia Is Invisible In Australian Art Discourse

GENERAL EVALUATION

The paper explored an insightful personal and reflective investigation into the lack of neurodiverse support and acknowledgement in the Australian art sector. It was surprising, disappointing, and revelationary in such a claim which is fundamentally very true. As an article itself there was quite a lot of depth crammed into a short word count which I would encourage the author to consider expanding into more lengthy papers as there is much to talk about in the discipline and amidst the community of scholars who push for better advocacy in the field. In fact, there would be merit to further test out writing chapters or presentations about the topic in general.

When authors claim there is a gap in research it's usually not true and as my job as a reviewer I had to search for material to counter any unsubstantiated claims but there literally is not any creditable works published in this area worth noting alas my first suggestion for this article is to say the claims of scarcity are absolutely true and secondly, since this is an emerging field of research that there could be further dialogue to probe a seminal field as they are literally the first to arrive at a point of reflection that opens up possibilities and opportunity to gain vocational legacy through ongoing basis.

As per the contextual issues in the article, the first page entered into debate in a strong contention but deflated in page two and three. What I would suggest not so much for this article because it's fit for purpose now, is to examine how the author follows up supporting a claim in an introduction to carry this into the 2-4 page area of discussion. Where this can be bolstered is through a revised structure into the follow up argument format. I would further suggest that the links between key points need more clarity and observation to include a wider variety of examples but this is also impossible because there isn't much in the field to draw from. In this instance, it would be helpful to fall back on case studies specifically designed around the article itself either through qual or quant mechanisms. I mention this as a helpful recommendation to strengthen what already is established throughout the written work.

The personal reflections about dyslexia were quite moving and added an empathy for the reader as the voice of the arguments was also the endearment of the effects of dyslexia. Returning to my previous point, if this was expanded it would give room to bring more of these reflections into play in support of data analysis.

One final point is to suggest an inclusive way to approach a methodology in future works that was lacking in the article - what method of analysis would best suit transferring the data to a conclusion?

This perhaps comes from inexperience in writing through structure but in another sense, it leads to more expansive and conclusive articles in the near future if the author could build on these comments to grow and cultivate an ongoing scholarly practice. My contention here is to not desecrate what has been written but more so to highlight areas of growth and resolve. There is only one way to achieve this and its writing and publishing papers for public view on a regular basis. Given that there is literally nothing of merit in the field on this topic, the author has an opportunity to extend a volume of works on the topic and take market share of the topic. This is vital in not only the progression of the field but provides more responsive research from others to compliment what has already been written.

In this section, I'm going to talk about argument and debate. There are two central arguments in the paper the first centred around a gap in research and the second being no provisions to provide support in ways that are deserving of the infliction of dyslexia. The debate in response to this argument is mainly centred around personal reflections but this was partially due to the fact that there is very little in the way of substantial readings in the field and one cannot reference in abundance of material when it doesn't yet exist. Given this I completely understands the need to have more personal reflections than critical examples because in the first place the empathy holds weight in providing a response to a more human descriptive term and then in terms of the debate itself there is little that can be done at the moment when the lack of substantial arguments is not available to present cases for and against. I certainly commend the author for attempting to write a bold and forthright paper about the topic considering the disadvantage dyslexia had brought the author in the past based on their accounts of growing up without an awareness of the processing condition.

The idea that is centred around the theoretical components of the article are also challenging to assemble because these would be more substantiated if there were actual theoretical components to reference that had spawned from public debate. There are larger matters at play here other than nitpicking essay structure which can always be attended to in the future but the significance in the arguments that are coming out the article are important simply because we actually have a gap in research not just an argument to try and convince someone that they could be a gap in research as found in so many papers that are published in this era. As such, it is refreshing to read such a bold paper that has actually established a critical need for what I would argue to be a history of cruelty to the people suffering dyslexia by the art sector and those in the sector who either ignore it or actively oppress in response. The revelation to find something new that means so much to so many given that there are over 2,000,000 dyslexics in Australia yet support for the situation is unacceptable at best.

In sum, the article is worthy of publication as is and I look forward to reading more about the material in the years to come.

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Peer Review 2.

This paper argued at the lack of diversity and support for artists who have dyslexia in the art world in Australia. Throughout the paper there were numerous references to limited amounts of scope that dyslexia has received prominence in arts based literature. It is disappointing to be revealed that neurodiverse artists have been given little attention for many years, especially in the examples that the researcher has explored throughout the article.

I would like to recommend this article to be published for three reasons:

• that the article contributed to a gap in research about dyslexia in the Australian art world

• that there is a fundamental lack of artists who are exploring this topic

• that the researcher has been very brave in disseminating their own experiences of dyslexia adding a sense of credibility to the words and sentences on paper

The bibliography contains a selected amount of references that we use to aid the developments of the paper; however it would be better served if there were more references perhaps for two or three additional pages of references to examine.

Quality citations were ample and there is nothing more to add about this factor. I wish the researcher well in the investigations about dyslexia.

Title: Does the title sufficiently describe the subject matter? Yes very much so

Illustrations: Are the Figures used appropriate? There are no figures in the article

References: The references are suitable.

The ideas in this article are: Excellent