Drawing as Stimming objects involved working with a coproduction group of learning disabled and neurodivergent artists to develop a gallery interpretation tool that advances ‘drawing in the expanded field’ principles as a method of non-verbal interpretation of artworks. The project sought to undermine both the primacy of written interpretation in art galleries and the sensory hierachy of vision for interpretation, considering the sensory learning of participants. We considered how embodied interactions guide us in considering interpretation and how stimming might bring us closer (through movement) to the embodied artist and their processes. Pyramid of Arts Collective (Leeds) and a sound designer explored the collection at Walsall New Art Gallery with Sam with remote advice from Julie Brown. They undertook material exploration workshops that shaped the stimming objects form. The group considered how we might invite stimming as repetive movement through tactiliity into the way we interpret art and from our explorations handheld objects that encouraged sensory journeys emerged.
Following research for Necessity.info and British Art Network Sam commissioned Claye Bowler to make some prototype objects for the project in a case study with support from Becky Gee, York Art Gallery, working again with key abstract works from the collection. Claye has since gone on to make similar object for arts council collection withour reference to the Drawing as Stimming project
The below video was made for Drawing As Stimming funded by Necessity. The interpretation objects were made by Claye Bowler and the works respond to the collection at York Art Gallery and this was kindly supported by curator Becky Gee.