Blair Bunting: Journeys, Neurodivergence and Belonging

Blair Bunting: Journeys, Neurodivergence and Belonging

On view through March 17, 2024

Advertising photographer by trade, lover of journeys at heart, Blair Bunting is masterful at merging his professional and personal interests, creating a space that provides him with a sense of serenity. To be human is to seek tranquility, but that is a state of being easier for some to achieve than others.

Bunting’s version of serenity is uniquely framed by the way he processes the world.

Bunting’s work has a way of transporting viewers to the place where he clicked the shutter, whether that be a train trestle or the cockpit of a U2 spy plane. In April 2023, he navigated further from earth than any civilian, capturing extraordinary images along the way.

Diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder as an adult, Bunting is self-introspective, reserving his most intense interests as the subjects of his fine art photography. One of those interests is trains – a touchstone for Bunting in a world that often seems too full of people. Revealing his inner world is a leap of faith for Bunting, who has never sold or exhibited his train images previously.

W. James Burns, Ph.D., Guest Curator 

This exhibit was a collaboration between Western Spirit and First Place. Envisioned as a residential community development that aspires to catalyze international models, First Place® offers supportive housing and a residential transition program for individuals with autism and for other neurodiverse populations, as well as sites for education, training and creative inspiration.

Blair Bunting: Journeys, Neurodivergence and Belonging