Gyan is a young man living with autism. He began his artistic journey at age 10, spending months painting the same subject: “Tractor stuck in the mud.” Gradually, through countless iterations, the tractor “got out of the mud,” marking a pivotal moment in his creative development. From there, Gyan expanded to drawing other vehicles—trains, airplanes, buses, and cars—which remain his most cherished subjects today.
Gyan’s creative process has always been expansive and immersive. During certain periods, his artwork would literally travel through space: paper with trains drawn on it would journey across his room, through corridors, climb up walls, and traverse the ceiling before returning to his workspace. For Gyan, travel must be real and grand in scale, even when confined to paper.
His art studio has become a sacred sanctuary where he spends many hours each day. Gyan creates freely on floors and walls, often transforming the entire space into one vast installation. Here, he feels free and lets his imagination travel to his favourite places.
His large-canvas compositions frequently feature airport scenes: terminal buildings flanked by taxis, buses, and vans transporting both luggage and passengers. The people in his paintings appear in profile, wearing oversized caps with long visors—as if shielding their eyes from bright lights. Through these imaginative travels captured in paint, Gyan satisfies his deep hunger for new places and experiences, creating worlds where his spirit can roam freely.
Galina Stefanova, Art Therapist
Galina Stefanova is a registered art therapist who has been working with Gyan since 2004. Her sessions evolved from art therapy to skill-based tutoring, helping him develop his own artistic style and identity.