Madeleine Bolle

UNCLE ROB

Autism is a disorder that can not easily be described. It can be reflected in different ways and to varying degrees. Everything that people with autism see, hear, smell, feel is processed in a different way. People with autism often have a good eye for detail, they are honest, straightforward, analytical and hardworking, but they have trouble making contact, are often afraid of changes, have a need for rituals and are often hypersensitive to stimuli. More than 1% of the Dutch population - about 190,000 people - has a form of autism. It is not clearly visually apparent, and no person with autism is the same. Autism is often confronted with prejudices, misperceptions and stigma. This makes it more difficult for them to function in society. With this project Madeleine hopes to shine a different light on autism, so that people are able to see the beauty of autism and that autistic people can also be interesting, funny and sweet.

Since autism exists in many varying forms, more stories of autistic people will follow in this project, starting with the story about my uncle Rob. Rob (53) suffers from autism, but to me he is just uncle Rob. He is kind, well organized and a bit peculiar. I find it sweet how he lives his life in his own way, and I want others to see that too.

Madeleine Bolle

Madeleine Bolle (1984) is a freelance photographer based in Amsterdam. She is in her graduation year at the FOTOfactory. She also holds a MA in Cultural Studies. Since 2015 she has been conducting documentary photography projects.

Through her personal projects, Madeleine studies people that are far and close to her at the same time. Her projects unite through intimacy which also defines her approach. With both projects “Now that I am mom” (2015) and “Papa” (2015) Madeleine studies her personal past and family relations. Sticking to these personal and intimate stories, Madeleine is currently conducting a project about teenagers, exploring the subtle transition from the innocent child into an adult with growing self-consciousness and increasing responsibilities. With her project on autism she wants to create more awareness about autism and reveal the positive side of the disorder.