Neurodiversity: Biodiversity

Biodiversity is the variety of life on Earth. Greater biodiversity creates a stronger, healthier ecosystem. As more animal and plant species become extinct and disappear day by day, people are coming to appreciate the importance of diversity and the preservation of all life forms.

Within the human species is great biological diversity, especially in the human brain. The term neurodiversity encompasses the variation in the human brain regarding attention, learning, and mood. Just as society appreciates and celebrates biodiversity in an ecosystem, the concept of neurodiversity embraces individuals with neurodevelopmental and mental health conditions. It encourages us to see differences in the brain not as problems but as strengths and part of life.

In this exhibit, artist Trisha Gupta focuses on mental health conditions within neurodiversity. She argues that we must understand neurodiversity as we do biodiversity, where celebrating variety across the human brain can help us to build stronger and healthier communities.

Trisha Gupta’s work explores cultural biases, current treatment methods, and modern patient narratives, revealing the shortcomings of our mental health care system and society. This body of work asks how we can address, respect, and celebrate neurodiversity across our communities.