Fish Out Of Water

“Imagine looking up at the clouds and seeing a shape come to life before your eyes - a convincing illusion you know isn’t real. This is my normal.”

Elyse is a Neurodivergent (AuDHD), Queer, Disabled artist with lived experience of trauma. In 2023, while studying Psychology Honours, Elyse underwent what was meant to be a low-risk medical treatment. Since then, they have experienced hallucinations and visual disturbances layered over their AuDHD perception. Elyse began creating visual art as a way to challenge medical gaslighting and to communicate these differences to their healthcare team.

Elyse’s work explores disability, LGBTQIA+ identity, liminal spaces, fractal and symbolic patterns, pop culture, and internal script references - along with the occasional monster hiding in the shadows.

Follow Elyse on Instagram and check out her website.

This artwork offers a glimpse into my AuDHD mind through a new auditory-visual stim, inspired by Le Poisson Steve - a viral French TikTok by Vigz and Tomo. Some references, partly shaped by hallucinations, include a cat in a fish costume and 'Chase the Turtle' reimagined as Le Croissant Steve - a dog in a croissant outfit resting in a turtle bed. Additional motifs, such as hearts and hexagons, weave throughout the piece, layering a sense of playfulness with deeply personal perception.