Exhibition

I spent decades believing I was lazy, stupid, unmotivated, absent-minded, brain-damaged, a burden.

I am not broken

I am not a failure

I just have ADHD

ADHD is more complex than just bouncing off the walls or having your head in the clouds; it is a difference in brain structure and cognition that impacts every facet of our lives and affects how we see and interact with the world around us. It can be debilitating and exhausting, and there are things that we struggle with, but it can also give us unique strengths and qualities, and shape who we are.

In addition to my own experiences, I have asked other ADHDers to describe what they love about their brain, what they struggle with, and what they wish people knew. Through this body of work, I aim to visually represent what it feels like inside the ADHD brain.

Bubbly

With ADHD, you learn to laugh at yourself. My outlook on life is shaped by my self-deprecating humour and people always comment on my bubbly personality. I’m just a ball of fun and chaos!

Hyperfocused

I love my ability to hyperfocus. It makes me thorough and efficient and is a great way to apply my energy.

Creative

I love how creative I can be. My brain lives outside of the box, conjuring up a thousand ideas at once. It’s like a rainbow explosion of ideas.

Compassionate

If you’re different, if you’re struggling, if you feel broken… I am here for you. My ADHD has put me through hard times but facing them has sparked an uncontainable compassion in me. I’ve been where you are, and it’s going to be okay.

Spontaneous

I don’t think of it as purely impulsivity – it can be spontaneity – and life is so exciting as a result! Adopting my cats is one of the best decisions I’ve made.

Distracted

I’m trying to listen to you, but every little thing around me is competing for my attention. The world is bright and stimulating, and I can’t tune it out. I just want to focus on you. I’m trying.

Disorganised

I am the person who will call you up to ask you if you’ve seen my phone. I lose my keys, even if they’re in plain sight.

Insomniac

My brain just won’t stop. It takes me hours to get to sleep, and once I’m up I have to drag myself out of bed because I’m so tired. I’m running on four hours of sleep at best.

Sluggish

My brain feels so sluggish. I have a million thoughts a minute but trying to process them is like walking through treacle.

Camouflaged

Can you see me? I’m a master of camouflage. I have to act normal so you can’t tell I’m different. I wish I could just be me.

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I am thrilled with my final images and the exhibition as a whole. It was great to see everyone so proud of their work, excited to show their friends and families how far they've come over the course of the FdA.

The feedback I received for my prints was incredibly positive from friends and strangers alike. Overall, people loved my creativity and particularly liked the two large prints that I had burned, especially combined with the bright colours of the inks and bubbles. Adding the quotations was definitely beneficial as it helped my audience understand the meaning behind the images - one person said they loved that ADHD was represented in a balanced, respectful way, and another said that they had gained a new perspective on ADHD. My work "spoke" to some people, and that's all I could have asked for.

A post I put on Facebook to promote the exhibition to my friends and family (hence the informal "hey, you").