For someone with ADHD, it’s difficult to speak publicly about the subject when you feel systematically disadvantaged. But it’s precisely those who are affected who can offer real insight, while the media mostly spreads stereotypes and idealized images. I’ve noticed how popular overly simple answers have become, paired with an aggressiveness that leaves no room for nuance. I’ve realized that a lot of what seems helpful at first glance turns out to be the opposite.

We’re talking about slogans that reduce negative behavior to "evil" personality traits. Many people seem to live in a world full of so-called narcissists and disrespect. But most of the people labeled as "narcissists" aren’t that at all. Often, it’s the person making these accusations who’s showing self-centered thinking and limited understanding. People quickly applaud when certain figures simplify behavior with bold, clear words. "People don’t change. If your partner lies to you, it’s a lack of respect!"—what a statement. If only the world were that simple.

When you rely on your own assumptions about another person's motives, you enter the inner workings of the person in conflict without showing understanding, but rather empowering yourself over that person and the conflict.

Humans are not here to fulfill each others personal expectations, there is always a greater context. Communication is not about forcing people into boxes. People aren’t footballs to be kicked into the goal of your perception; they’re complex beings, full of flaws, fears, and mistakes. I realize this poorly nuanced, highly polarized circus.

What I’m trying to say is this: the drive for simple answers and clear-cut villains misses the point entirely. Human beings, especially those with ADHD or other challenges, don’t fit neatly into black-and-white categories. As long as we keep falling for these cheap simplifications, we prevent real understanding and deepen the divide.

“Inner Development”

Here artistic intent and unexpected influences merge. This work, originally intended as a print of a bare foot in dried and cracked paint, took a fascinating turn.

A vibrant palette of green and yellow tones, infused with traces of nature. It wasn't my hand, but beetles that found their way unnoticed that left their mark here. The original vision has been reinterpreted by nature, and the beetles' damage is now a powerful symbol of change and unpredictability.

In this unexpected collaboration I find an organic metaphor for metamorphosis and change. The traces of the beetle metamorphosis, as unintentional symbolism, tells a story of transformation and the unstoppable passage of time. Art and nature merge into a unique aesthetic fusion of planned creativity and spontaneous influences.

I consciously decided against the original footprint in order to preserve the traces of the beetles. This was not a defeat, but a choice that intensified the dialogue between art and chance. The work thus becomes a timeless testimony to the beauty that arises from the symbiosis of human creativity and the power of nature.

In ‘Inner Development’ we see, how the creative process goes beyond the boundaries of intention. The unintended elements are not mistakes but sources of inspiration. This work invites you to discover the beauty in the unexpected and experience the transformative power of art.

The painting is a 20cm x 20cm egg tempera on canvas. The beetles are drugstore beetles (Stegobium paniceum). These have gone through all stages of development inside the dried paint. I collected them and cleaned the painting. It was then disinfected in the oven and prepared with linseed oil varnish. What remains is a detailed landscape that tells a colorful story of life.