Dunedin artist with autism creates fingerprint portrait of The Chills’ Martin Phillipps
In celebration of the opening of iNDx, an exhibition showcasing artists on the autism spectrum, Dunedin artist Tom Fox has created a remarkable fingerprint portrait of The Chills frontman Martin Phillipps.
Tom, who has autism spectrum disorder (ASD), sees his neurodiversity not as a limitation but as an artistic strength. His works often explore sensory processing and emotional intensity, using colour and texture to convey what it feels like to experience the world differently.
Tom spent more than 15 hours in Tūhura Otago Museum’s first-floor foyer creating the portrait live in front of public, grinding chalk pastels and applying the colour with his fingertips. The result is a vivid, deeply personal tribute to one of Dunedin and New Zealand’s most beloved musical icons.
Martin’s family visited the museum to meet Tom and see the finished piece, which will be on display until the end of the exhibition 7 December, being auctioned to support future iNDx exhibitions.
iNDx features works by 44 artists from across Aotearoa who are on the autism spectrum, across media including painting, weaving, animation, crochet, and tattoo design. More than an exhibition, it celebrates neurodiverse creativity and fosters deeper understanding through art.
