Between Lines and Rituals: The Charm of Repetition in the Art of People with Autism

O Encanto da Repetição na Arte de Pessoas com Autismo

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.33871/sensorium.2025.12.10826

Keywords:

Autismo, Estados Alterados de Consciência, Educação Artística, Automatismo

Abstract

This article presents an interdisciplinary analysis that explores the artistic production of people with autism, the phenomenon of altered states of consciousness, and the parallels with ritual practices of ancient tribal “magicians.” Engaging in dialogue with the arts, psychology, and psychotherapy, we propose a reflection on the repetition of simple forms and the automatisms present in the artworks of autistic individuals, highlighting the importance of art education as a tool for expression and inclusion. Based on a bibliographic review and case study data, we investigate how such manifestations may simultaneously represent emotional self-regulation strategies and the evocation of ritualistic and ancestral dimensions of symbolism.

Keywords: Autism; Altered States of Consciousness; Art Education; Automatism

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Author Biography

Catarina Ladeira, Faculdade de Belas Artes de Lisboa

Catarina Mesquita Ladeira (Lisboa Portugal, 1993) é Licenciada em Escultura FBAUL  (2014) e Mestre em Educação Artística FBAUL (2022). O seu gosto pelo ensino levou-a a fazer voluntariado na Escola EB1 O Leão de Arroios em Lisboa (2011) e depois na Faculdade Sénior - USU em Lisboa (2015) onde lecionou Desenho e Pintura. Desde 2018 que trabalha como professora de Expressão Plástica na Associação Portuguesa para as Perturbações do Desenvolvimento e Autismo (APPDA) em Lisboa. Realizou com Sandro Resende o workshop “Um olhar sobre a Produção Artística de Pessoas com deficiência e doença mental” na ANACED e também com a SPAT de Introdução à Arte Terapia. Participou no 23.º Congresso Português de Arte Terapia com o tema Na Barriga da Baleia (2022). Ganhou em 2015 o prémio na categoria de Ilustração do Concurso Jovens Criadores.

References

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Published

2025-06-16

Issue

Vol. 12 No. 01 (2025): Art&Sensorium

Section

Dossier: Unconscious and Counterculture: Alternative Artistic Dissidences

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