Naoibh McNamee is a queer, autistic muti-media artist from Birmingham. Their currentpractice focuses on their exploration of gender through the lens of autism. Naoibhexperiments with a range of processes and materials, however for this project their focus ison painting, performance and installation.Inspired by the writings of Judith Butler, Naoibh recognised the inherent similarities betweengender performativity and assimilating as an autistic person. Furthermore, after reading JackHalberstam’s Queer art of failure, they realised how refusing to assimilate is a radical act.Coupling these ideas together, Naoibh realised performance art could be a powerful tactic tosubvert societal expectations placed upon them, from heteronormativity and neurotypicality.Through bright, bold and camp materials, the artist embraced their lack of assimilation-demanding their own agency and space to exist authentically.

Naoibh hopes to show that autism can look like this!