What does creativity mean when experienced beyond normative expectations of the mind? Through artmaking, creativity is a muscle exercised to make sense of the world that surrounds us. The reality is, we live in a world catered towards neuronormative behaviours and structures. These structures restrict us to arbitrary boxes and boundaries that do not necessarily apply to the practices of all people. Neurodivergent people often struggle with these rules and structures, leading to social isolation and burnout. Artmaking provides an avenue for neurodiverse people to synthesise and communicate ideas that transcend these limitations, while providing an avenue for community and new learning experiences.

In collaboration with CIMB Artober, HUGEart, WE&I Art, and United Voice come together to champion some of Malaysia’s brightest artistic talent. Each artist presented here is neurodivergent, creating work that speaks to the transformative, empowering, and inclusive power of art. While social stigma is common, an estimated 30 to 40% of the Malaysian population are neurodiverse (Oasis Place 2024). Prevalent social biases in favour of neuronormativity can make it difficult for a neurodiverse person to feel like they can succeed. It is time we understood neurodiversity correctly. It refers to neurological differences that should be recognised and valued as any kind of human variation. Neurodiverse individuals are those “who diverge from the dominant societal standards of [normative] neurocognitive functioning” (Sonia Boué 2018). These include differences such as the Autism Spectrum, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, and Dyslexia, among many others.

These exhibited works defy expectations of what it means to create as a neurodivergent artist. It is easy to fall under labels and expectations of what neurodiverse art can look like. However, this varied oeuvre shows what happens when neurodiverse artists are encouraged to be flexible and express their personalities and interests.

In creating, things that may be invisible or unclear to some, come into focus. The works present a continuum from abstraction to hyperrealism. They offer detailed representations of both outer and inner worlds. The artists use mediums such as paint, sculpture, and ink to bring these visions to life. Colours are vibrant, active, and imbued with joy, total freedom that comes with a state of being that processes stimuli differently. Patterns, shapes, and colours, inform each other.

These works show a distinct concern with humanity and the places we inhabit, loving and cosy depictions of wondrous in what may be considered mundane - perhaps the mundane was always fantastical in the first place. Cityscapes and landscapes, depicting both the domestic and the shared realms, are attended to with deep detail, inviting us to consider how the act of truly observing, is an act of love, interest, and attention. The abstract works speak to the uniqueness of each artist, thriving when making work that feels authentic and representative of their worldview, whether these works are legible or illegible to a neuronormative audience.

Creativity and artmaking is described by S. L. James (2023) as a form of divergent thinking that leads to a creative product. This naturally calls for society to welcome neurodiverse artists with patience and open-mindedness. The inner world of the neurodiverse mind reveals unique perspectives on seeing, being, and caring, and the resulting art deserves to be nurtured and supported.