Narc. Magazine Online
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A new exhibition from Kim McDermottroe features the faces she sees in seemingly random patterns and tries to make sense of the feelings of connection with inanimate objects that result through her artwork
Did you know that the human brain can’t make up a face, and so every face you see in your dreams is one you’ve seen somewhere before? It’s so odd to think a stranger you’ve passed in the street could have a starring role in your brainwaves. It’s also something to think about when considering Kim McDermottroe’s latest exhibition, FieldJournal, which comes to Arts Centre Washington from Thursday 28th July-Saturday 27th August.
As an autistic artist with intense experiences of pareidolia, McDermottroe sees faces in seemingly random patterns and tries to make sense of the feelings of connection with inanimate objects that result through her artwork. FieldJournal started out as a six-page book of illustrations and a short film – but thanks to funding from Arts Council England, her side project has grown into 100 pages of original characters, all with an identity she has constructed for them. Experimenting in illustration, 3D sculpture and animation, FieldJournal gives form and connection to the characters she sees in her everyday life. In a society that ostracises neurodivergent individuals, an insight into how such a person sees and makes sense of the world around them demonstrates the importance of creative freedom and gives us an opportunity for a little more understanding and empathy.
