Abstract

This article discusses a conversation with the author and Estée Klar, the founder of dis assembly, Klar’s autistic son, Adam Wolfond, mentors Chris Martin, Ellen Bleiwas, and Jessamyn Polson. dis assembly is a neurodiverse art collective for creation and relation in Toronto, Canada. Because public education in Canada typically does not provide supported/facilitated communication for non-speaking autists, this collective is ground-breaking in its experimental work with neurodivergent people. dis assembly highlights the need to honor the autistic ritualized use of objects and the environment as a valid and significant art form. The collective, therefore, re-imagines new forms of art, communication, interdependency, relationship, and community.

Keywords: Autism, Neurodivergence, Ritual, Collaboration, Relation, Artmaking, Language

How to Cite:

Wexler, A., (2022) “dis assembly: Collaborative Rituals with an Autistic Artist”, Journal of Cultural Research in Art Education 39(1), 12-29. doi: https://doi.org/10.2458/jcrae.5380