Natalie Cunningham, The Illusion of Calm (PEOPLE 2022)

The illusion of calm represents the intricacies of social masking engaged in by many neurodivergent individuals at the extreme cost of their mental wellbeing. The presence of light and colour merely distracts us from the chaos and overwhelm lying in the shadows of calmness which leads to the perception that they are "fine". The overwhelm is as real as the petals, smell and texture within the darkness of black roses; but with amplified senses these details become apparent.

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