Artist Vito Bonanno’s Traveling Art Exhibition & Cultural Awareness Campaign ‘Truck’N with Vito!

Artist Vito Bonanno was born in New Haven in 1983 – he was diagnosed with PDD/Autism just before his 4th birthday. Language delayed, his parents and teachers developed strategies that tapped into his high visual acuity, utilizing storyboard styles to relay academic and social information to Vito. He was also encouraged to draw in storyboard format to express his feelings. The storyboard grid remains prominent in his work today and is a poignant reminder of a boy who was trapped in his mind, but through the tireless work of professionals and undaunting support of his family, has been given the opportunity to develop into a young, high functioning man who has learned to take the information trapped in his head and transform it into art that contains the essence of his life, feelings, thoughts and dreams.

Vito remembers it was his dreams that motivated him to draw, “My disability helps me remember things like my dreams, but it also doesn’t let me forget – so good and unpleasant things remain in my head always and I have to live everyday with all that stuff in my head and some of it I will end up obsessing about. Drawing these things helps me get this stuff out of my head for a while.” Vito is launching his solo art exhibition and cultural awareness campaign Truck’N with Vito! on May 24, 2014 in NYC at Umbrella Arts in the East Village – 317 East 9th Street in NY, NY 10003. Truck’N with Vito! is a traveling campaign to bring awareness that people with autism and other neuro-diversities need better choices and funding for art related higher education – we are asking for help and support from the community to make this project a success.