Sarah Shotts
Meltdown
Textile, 16 x 20 “
Sensory overload leading to an autistic meltdown can come from the smallest things. When I realized my son was sensitive to clothing tags I began cutting them off and collecting them. This shirt is an outward expression of sensory pain caused by one single clothing tag.
Meltdown Prevention
This film is a documentation of sensory care. I am shown carefully removing clothing tags from my son’s clothes while he plays nearby in the studio. By recording the process I am making this invisible care visible.
Clothing tags are a sensory trigger for both myself and my son. Due to neurological differences in sensory modulation clothing tags can contribute to sensory overload. Removing tags is an act of care to prevent overstimulation and related meltdowns.