The Beautiful Architecture of an Autistic Mind “He likes to doodle and observe architecture, adores cartoons such as The Simpsons and Snoopy, and is intrigued by how things like leather products are constructed. We love the architecture of his mind.”
Imagine being diagnosed to be on the autism spectrum at the age of four. Try to envision having very little verbalising and socialising skills. On top of these, meltdowns that you have no control over.
For Glenn Phua Yi Jue, who is now 24, religion, art and a supportive family helped to shape his life. As a person with mild autism, life has its ups and downs, but nothing is beyond reach when you have strong pillars of support.
Soft spoken and caring by nature, Glenn combines his passion for art with a heart of compassion. Even though he is an accomplished artist who has produced a vast collection of artworks, he remains humble.
Glenn’s parents and his sister, Glennda played an important role in developing his passion for the Arts. They believed in his exceptional artistic talent and enrolled him in Pathlight School, Singapore’s first autism-focused school that offers mainstream curriculum with life readiness skills. As one of eight students from the pioneer batch of Pathlight School’s Artist Development Programme, he honed his craft and realised that his art could help contribute to his livelihood.
Glenn’s free-handed pen drawings are predominantly on 3D architecture of buildings. A quick google of his name will bring up a collection of his highly detailed artwork. Some have been translated to art prints and unique products. Glenn’s artworks are of such high quality that they have been presented to leading figures such as, China’s President Xi Jinping as a national gift from Singapore, and to former US First Lady Michelle Obama.
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