In 2011, Antonin turned 25 years old. Because he is autistic he cannot carry out even the simplest of life’s everyday activities without the aid of another person and remains dependent on his parents. Many tasks we take for granted being able to complete are for him instead obstacles posing great challenges that exist as barriers between his world and ours.
For the last 12 years, Olivier Coulange has been following the life of Antonin and his family as they reconcile themselves with the realities of autism and many of the struggles, frustrations, and feelings of isolation it can bring. Most individuals with autism are placed at a very young age in ‘specialized’ hospitals or institutions. Increasingly, however, doctors are encouraging children born with the disorder to be raised at home with their families. In this series, the photographer allows us to enter into the intimate world of Antonin and his family as he grows up, a space tender, vulnerable, painful, and very inspiring.
