This collage was inspired by the invitation from Dr Amber John of Liverpool University, to anyone aged 50+ with ADHD, to submit a piece of artwork as an expression of their unique experience /perspective.

 

It is the epitome of my living experience of ADHD, albeit undiagnosed and therefore unmedicated: relating specifically to round the clock struggles with my relationship with time.

 Borne out by the fact that it took almost 4 months to complete: alternating between working in fits and starts, to being stuck in time paralysis, procrastination and inability to maintain focus.

 

My artwork attempts to portray progression of time from my childhood in the 60's, which felt infinite, long and lengthy through to the present time, which now, being in my 60's, is characterised by time shortening, and feeling compressed and condensed. Not just due to ageing, however, but time related difficulties and time pressure being exacerbated by particular difficulties a neurodivergent mind has had to contend with, specifically through government schooling, and then predominantly experienced in the workplace, in an uncompromising capitalist, commercialised society.

 

Credit to Unsplash photographers :-

(from outer ring to centre)

Lucien Alexe, Ashraf Bahwal,

Zarah V. Windh, Gourmet Lenz

& Matt Jones (Jay Star Photography) for the final edit on the digital image.