Live, Love, and Learn: The Harry Darsono Museum: Transforming ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) into Creation

The costumes (art to wear) for Operas performance in London, 1973

This Museum tells a story about humanity, about a journey of a person who was almost aborted and prematurely born, diagnosed with ADHD that made him expelled from 6 different schools at age 9 and finally enrolled at a school for mute and deaf, but turned out to be a super-talented adult. He is known as a world class Haute Couture designer. He designed some of the late Princess Diana (Lady Di) of England dresses. He also designed most of the Princesses and the Queens in Europe and Asia. He earned Ph.D. in Humanistic Philosophy from Oxford, plays 6 musical instruments and composed number for piano and harp.
He is overwhelmingly genius!

This museum tells about the journey of frustrations that turned into creations. All of this grandeur designs and extravagant collections are meant to show his humbleness in praising his Creator. And that the Creator has its own way to prove that everyone is precious, unique, doesn't need to be similar with others, and that ADHD and Autism are not a disease, but they are part of human development process for some.

For those who have a family member diagnosed with Autism and ADHD, I suggest you to visit this place. You may see that those with "special needs" probably need to be catered as a genius-to-be.

Harry's sketch for the late Princess Diana in 70's,
the dress that inspired by Marilyn Monroe's

Personally, as a fan of Baroque arts and music, I found this place as a heaven in Jakarta. I met Harry Darsono at a friend's birthday party and I was wearing black. When I visited the museum two days later, Harry Darsono said, "that (red) is the right color for you. Don't wear black too much in your age."

Enjoy the parade of pictures. *NH*

With ADHD, he had difficulties to transmit what he felt into his brains then to his speech. But once it's all transmitted, it transmits at the same time that caused implosion inside his brains that made him tend to hurt himself, frustrated for his inability to deliver them in speech.
He found his therapy in thread. He played with threads and did some experiments with them.
This picture was made of 87 needles with different color in each needle, to channel his frustrations when he was 14 years old.

this dress is made of 2 millions thread knots
with different color of threads

Some of the collections in the museum. It's a display of gifts from the world leaders, namely Emperor Akihito of Japan, Margaret Thatcher of England, etc.