“Galoot is inspired by my drawings and dictations from when I was retreating into myself around age four,” says Devon Leaver. “I can personally attest that women on the spectrum are often misdiagnosed and misrepresented. Through Galoot, I hope to illuminate a different side of the autism spectrum while encouraging empathy and understanding in viewers and promoting a more inclusive community.”
Galoot is an immersive film and exhibition experience that aims to help normalize the rarely explored topic of girls growing up on the autism spectrum .In Galoot, Leaver centers her childhood experiences with Autism Spectrum Disorder or ASD, to provide viewers with a more profound understanding that neurodiversity can be both a challenge and a strength.
The exhibition explores themes of social isolation, overstimulation, and affirmation through a Bauhaus-inspired, muppet-like character named Galoot featured in a series of vignettes that mirror Leaver’s experiences of trying to fit into a world committed to misunderstanding her.
The exhibition replicates the film’s set within an unknown galaxy of stars. It includes a model of the 1977 Voyager probe which doubles as a message box where viewers are encouraged to communicate with Galoot through hand-drawn notes.
Galoot’s costume, created by Leaver’s sister, is presented alongside her childhood ephemera including Leaver’s childhood writings that inspired it and the film’s narration, read by Gerard Doyle.
The exhibition replicates the film’s set within an unknown galaxy of stars. It includes a model of the 1977 Voyager probe which doubles as a message box where viewers are encouraged to communicate with Galoot through hand-drawn notes.
Conversations about autism often dismiss girls because they are four times less likely to be diagnosed with autism than boys. After years of doctor’s visits, Leaver’s ASD confirmation came as a relief. She viewed it as a way to make sense of the feelings, sensory overload, and experiences she faced throughout her childhood. It is in this place where Galoot finds its inspiration.