James Gale

The idea behind this acrylic painting was simple: contrast and chaos. I felt the need to express my feelings toward society, with all its chaos and unspoken rules, and what it feels like to be an autistic individual trying to move within it.

The idea that things are rarely absolute sits at the center of this piece. Not everyone fits into a single box or a fixed way of thinking. There is chaos in humanity, and there is chaos in our own minds.

And so I called it Spectrum. A word that carries a lot for me.
On one level, it is obvious: the spread of color cutting through darkness, almost like a burst of light breaking apart.
But it also reflects something more personal. As an autistic artist, I wanted to highlight the differences between people. Even within autism itself, there is a full range, a spectrum. There is no simple yes or no answer to who you are.

I created this piece in the hope of encouraging more open thinking in our society, where answers are often reduced to simple binaries, and people are shaped to fit into rules and boxes built on old beliefs and outdated systems.

I finished this acrylic painting with a gloss varnish, giving it an almost wet, reflective surface. It deepens the colors and adds another layer of movement, especially when the light hits it just right. It is a piece that shifts depending on the time of day, the space it is in, or even your mood when you look at it.

Like all abstract work, it is not meant to tell you exactly what to see. This is simply my side of the story, the way it felt to create it. What it becomes beyond that is completely yours.

Warm regards,
James