” Lilou, this is the nickname we gave to my brother Antoine. Like the protagonist of the feature film by Luc Besson, The Fifth Element, he is also exceptional, living in a different world than us.”
In his own environment.
Antoine was diagnosed with autism. Today, he lives in a care home with medical staff in Normandy. He spoke a few words before turning four, and then he shut himself up into a world of silence.
My brother has developed a non-verbal language, by using objects : He gives us his shoes when he wants to go outside. The plate is a representation of hunger and the glass is a symbol of thirst. My brother has always needed to be reassured. To feel good, he shall have some habits of time and space. Same hours, same actions, everyday. He dislikes change. He loves being surrounded by nature and the contact with water.
I wanted to talk about my brother, his story, and his rituals. To show him how he really is, while at the same time, providing some key elements to understand autism. Photography has become a way to depict his language. A language based on images, sensations and feelings.
Website: www.luciehodiesnedarras.com
Instagram: @lucie_hodiesne_darras
