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‘A Different Kind of Normal’ Takes a Look at Asperger’s

For whatever reason, or combination of reasons – and theories abound – diagnoses of autism and its less-crippling cousin, Asperger’s Syndrome, have increased remarkably in recent years. Whether this is because doctors and psychologists are becoming more attuned to what constitutes autism, or is just one of those periodic cycles that the imperfect process of mental health goes through (wasn’t it only about ten years ago that everyone was concerned about adult-onset ADHD?), the numbers are rising; statistics, in fact, indicate that everyone knows someone who, at the very least, places on the Asperger scale, whether they know it or not. Now, maybe this is the sort of thing that, like oat bran and the evils of eggs, will eventually cycle away, and something else will emerge to grab our attention. The odds are, though, that this is just another aspect of the new society. At any rate, SE Water Ave’s i witness gallery is housing Leah Nash’s intriguing new photojournalism exhibition A Different Kind of Normal through June 30; five subjects, all with Asperger’s, captured in a multitude of photos and a short documentary. (FULL ARTICLE: Jenna Lechner, Portland Mercury)