Neurotangle
by
Nina Martine Robinson
Nina Robinson is an emerging St. Paul based contemporary textile artist whose creative process starts wit a sewing machine. Neurotangle, created in 2019, is an early exploration into utilizing repurposed clothing as a metaphor for neurodiversity.
In 2018, her 23 year old son was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder, specifically Aspergers Syndrome. Many individuals on the spectrum have self-soothing behaviors called "stims." These repetitive actions help to calm nerves and soothe them during high stress situations. For her son, it the the deconstruction of his pants.
"I have spent hours mending belt loops, pockets and patching," the artist reports.
Ms. Robinson's recent installation work is a response to this repetitive behavior. The deconstruction of the clothing and the repetitive stitching create new forms of expression of Autism and neurodiversity as it applies to her experiences. The term neurodiversity was coined to describe variations in the human brain regarding mood, learning, attention, sociability and other mental functions in a non-pathological sense.
"My goal in sharing these installation is about creating awareness of and being a conduit for interaction between neurotypical and neurodiverse people," Nina Martine Robinson.
