Kamilla Langeland - Monotropism (The Autistic Mind)

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Kamilla Langeland presents a new installation at K4, revolving around neurological differences in the brain of human beings under the term neurodiversity. The term was originally coined by Australian sociologists Judy Singer in 1998, claiming autism is not a disorder or disease, rather a natural diversity in the biology of humankind. The term has since then developed into a worldwide social justice movement for people with Autism, ADHD, Tourette’s, Dyslexia, and other neurological conditions. Neurodiversity challenges an outdated view on autism that focuses on deficits and dysfunction, "curing" and prevention, excluding important abilities that come with having a different kind of mind. Langeland has recently been diagnosed on the autism spectrum herself, and the exhibition is a celebration of her new autistic identity as well as recognition of autism as a disability in our society.

The projection in the exhibition refers to camouflaging, a coping strategy used by autistics when trying to meet social norms. Having to perform a persona in any social situation, conforming to non-authentic values such as the gender binary, camouflaging is one of the reasons why many autistic females and LGBTQI+ people are underdiagnosed and misdiagnosed. Diagnostic criteria are in fact based on the stereotype of a "socially awkward white boy obsessed with trains'', resulting in underdiagnosing people of color, and anyone else who does not fit the stereotype. Another work consists of Kohns Blocks Design Test used for measuring a person's ability (IQ), a test Langeland personally did not complete during assessment because of sensory overload (a common autistic trait). The work demonstrates how testing of abilities in schools and work settings often fail to accommodate autistics, being labeled as unwilling or unable, when there is something very different going on in the mind.

The Magic Lantern in the installation refers to Monotropism, a theory developed by Dr. Dinah Murray, Wenn Lawson, and Mike Lesser, first published in the journal Autism in 2005. A monotropic mind focuses intensely on few interests at any time, while a polytropic mind (non-autistic) has a wide range of interests and can easily shift focus from one thing to another. Autistics often have a hard time managing polytropic attention including social interactions, multitasking, and sudden change, but then again have the ability to hyperfocus for long periods of time, develop great depth in their field of interest and skill, experiencing deep thinking and flow states. Under the right circumstances, autistics can develop careers around their interests and some become very successful, examples are autistic activist, writer, and animal scientist Dr. Temple Grandin, environmental activist Greta Thunberg, CEO at Tesla, and founder of SpaceX Elon Musk, and Paralympic world champion Breanna Clark.

Having a neurodivergent mind in a neurotypical world does not come without challenges, individual support and resources are needed for autistics and their families. "The world needs all kinds of minds” - Dr. Temple Grandin, and just like a healthy forest is diverse with different trees and birds, a healthy society is people with diverse bodies and minds.

Kamilla Langeland (b.1989, Kongsvinger) lives and works in Gjerstad, Norway. She is a graduate of the Oslo National Academy of the Fine Arts and the Bergen Academy of Art and Design. Her most recent solo exhibitions include Phototropism (Bending Towards the Light) at MELK, Oslo (2020), Stories of the Mind (Transitioning Into Uncertainty) at Entrée, Bergen (2019), and The Garden We Share at NoPlace, Oslo (2018). Her work has been involved in group exhibitions such as Refractions/Diffractions: What is Human in Times of Trouble?, curated by Susanne M. Winterling at Edvard-Munch-Haus, Warnemünde (2020); omissíssimo at Cavalo Galeria, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (2020); The DNB grant exhibition at Oslo Kunstforening (2019); Suddenly gave the effect of Sunlight, curated by Sara R. Yazdani at MELK, Oslo (2019) and The Future Stands Still but We Move in Infinite Space, curated by Randi Grov Berger at OSL Contemporary, Oslo (2019).

The exhibition is supported by Kulturrådet, Fond for lyd og bilde