The Soulful Figurative Works of Autistic Artist Christophe Pillault
Donna Williams
May 15, 2009
Christophe Pillault produces some of the most moving art by a person with autism in the world. Severely autistic, functionally non-verbal and with extremely limited self help skills he produces faceless, figurative works of soulful figures interacting. The works are full of movement, passion, yet also great grace. There's an empathy he appears to have with his figures and one can only presume he feels acutely the movements of people and watches the nuances of their interactions. Quoting Dr Lawrence Becker:
"His paintings are striking due to the imagery, fascinating, improbable, and sometimes mystic characters represented. It appears often that he is painting ethereal beings. It is a strange world in which we can penetrate with the renewed wonder of childhood".
Whilst Stephen Wiltshire's remarkable streetscapes and skylines are highly detailed and reflect an Eidetic Memory (actually uncommon in those with autism) and a mind passionate about structures, Christophe Pillault's work expresses a whole other side of autism, a side deep in empathy and intuition. It is wonderfully flowing, fluid, graceful, abstract and so beautifully sparse and uncluttered.
Christophe is not alone in being a figurative artist with autism. Other famous figurative autistic artists include Mark Rimland , the amazing faces done by Jonathan Lurhman and the lovingly created and highly animated animal sculptures of Alonzo Clemons.
Donna Williams *)
http://www.donnawilliams.net
"His paintings are striking due to the imagery, fascinating, improbable, and sometimes mystic characters represented. It appears often that he is painting ethereal beings. It is a strange world in which we can penetrate with the renewed wonder of childhood".
Whilst Stephen Wiltshire's remarkable streetscapes and skylines are highly detailed and reflect an Eidetic Memory (actually uncommon in those with autism) and a mind passionate about structures, Christophe Pillault's work expresses a whole other side of autism, a side deep in empathy and intuition. It is wonderfully flowing, fluid, graceful, abstract and so beautifully sparse and uncluttered.
Christophe is not alone in being a figurative artist with autism. Other famous figurative autistic artists include Mark Rimland , the amazing faces done by Jonathan Lurhman and the lovingly created and highly animated animal sculptures of Alonzo Clemons.
Donna Williams *)
http://www.donnawilliams.net
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