Tonight SBS Two will be broadcasting a documentary titled "Looking for Lowry" about the UK artist L. S. Lowry, who is one of the many famous people in my huge list of famous people who have been the subject of diagnosis or speculation regarding the autistic spectrum.
"Those who knew and appreciated him throw light on the character of this social recluse, who despite his solitary life, was affectionate and supportive to those who entered his limited sphere."
http://www.sbs.com.au/schedule/SBSTWO#evening
Not so long ago there was another documentary broadcast on Aussie TV about another famous loner artist who is in both of my big lists - the one about famous people and autism/Asperger syndrome, and also my big list of famous synaesthetes or possible synesthetes. The subject of this fascinting doco is Piet Mondrian, who was most famous for his bold geometric paintings featuring a limited rage of colours including black, white, blue, red and yellow, but he did much more besides. Mondrian hated the colour green, and it was with great reluctance that he created a few marketable paintings of flowers during the very lean times when his ground-breaking geometrical paintings would not sell. The title of that French documentary is "In Mondrian's Studio" and it's certainly worth a look if it is ever repeated.
http://sales.arte.tv/detailFiche.action?programId=2464
Thanks for the share...I'm a believer that the arty side....vs....math/science side of aspergers is under-reported...because people expect artists to be a bunch of weirdos ? Don't know but glad to see more representation of aspies as someone other then train watching, matchstick counting nerds .
ReplyDeleteI'm sure there are some who would like the autism spectrum to map neatly onto male gender stereotypes, but life isn't really that simple.
ReplyDeleteI'm going to have another proper look at the Lowry doco, as at a glance I think I saw an interview with the Irish Prof. Fitzgerald who has written a number of books on the subject of famous people and Asperger syndrome.