Sarah Breinig
Artist Statement
Not Ashamed
This instillation focuses on what ADHD truly looks like: the good, the bad, and the in between. One of the most difficult things about having ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) is finding most people lack understanding of what it truly feels like. Most people cannot comprehend the constant energy that lives inside of me because they lack a firsthand experience with it. As a female with ADHD there is a deeper, more nuanced stigma around it. Even the second “D” of “ADHD” is “Disorder” implying negativity. This instillation focuses on what ADHD truly looks like. It has good, bad, and the in between. Through my personal experience, my goal is to show the viewer the label of ADHD is not a one-size-fits-all description.
The work is different from tradition videos because it is full of sharp, quick edits that are jarring. By filming the plethora of ways I cope with ADHD, I have capture what ADHD feels like- the constant rise of energy that needs to be released. The sound is chaotic and cuts off awkwardly to create dissonance with random snippets of conversations and garbling sound effects. The work brings you into my headspace with jarring colors and intensified contrast.
The goal of this work is to open the discussion around ADHD and demolish the stigma around it. Although no one’s ADHD experience looks exactly the same, this video is an opportunity to get a glimpse into life with it. Hopefully it makes you more aware and empathetic. Please enjoy my work and use it to discover why I am not ashamed of my ADHD.
