Drawings by teenage artist with autism on cover of national elementary school textbooks

ULSAN — For one teenage artist on the autism spectrum, dinosaurs are more than a passion: They are a way to communicate with the world. Now his drawings are on the cover of national elementary school art textbooks.

“Dinosaurs. They’re my friends,” An Dre said when asked about his favorite subject.

An was recently selected as the cover artist for the 2026 state-issued elementary art textbooks for schools for students with disabilities. His dinosaur illustrations appear on the cover of the fifth-grade textbook and the teacher's guidebook and are also included alongside other works on the sixth-grade editions.

It is rare for the artwork of a teenager with developmental disabilities to be featured on a textbook cover.

Art industry sources praised his work for its “vivid colors and dynamic expression,” which led to his selection as a textbook cover artist.

Fascinated by dinosaurs from an early age, An began drawing them at around 33 months old. He learned dinosaur names more quickly than spoken words, even though his speech development lagged behind that of his peers. This delay prompted his parents to seek medical help, and An was eventually diagnosed with autism.

His fascination with dinosaurs never waned. He drew the creatures whenever he was able to get his hands on paper. When he couldn’t, he filled the walls, floors and even his clothes with sketches. He explored other media as well; in his hands, lumps of clay transformed into dinosaur figures.

His parents supported his passion by visiting dinosaur museums and theme parks across the country and collecting related books. They even turned the master bedroom of their home in Ulsan into his art studio. Painting dinosaurs became such a routine that the family would pack art supplies for camping trips.

“He poured out the thoughts and feelings he couldn’t fully express in words through his art of dinosaurs,” his mother said.

His interest remained unchanged after entering elementary school. He would open dinosaur books after class and spend breaks immersed in them.

“As his collection of drawings grew, we felt it was a shame to keep them only at home, so my wife and I started looking to enter him in art competitions,” his father said.

An's talent soon translated into accolades. Starting with a silver prize at the International Student Art Competition in 2018, he went on to win the grand prize at a climate crisis art contest hosted by Save the Children in 2022, among others.

His works have been acquired by companies and institutions, including Samsung Securities, and turned into merchandise such as mugs through collaborations with social enterprises.

“We want to help him continue doing what he loves and build his own life through art,” his mother said. “We also plan to use part of the proceeds from merchandise sales to support children with developmental disabilities.”

An is currently holding his fourth solo exhibition, titled “Hello from Dinosaurs” (translated), at the Bangeojin cultural space in Dong District, Ulsan, through April 5. The exhibition features around 20 of his works and related materials, from colorful and intuitive dinosaur paintings and clay sculptures to video footage detailing his creative process.

An held his first exhibition, titled “Dream,” in Gamcheon Culture Village in Busan in 2024.

Now a high school student, An is expanding his ambitions. He is preparing for art school while planning future exhibitions in countries such as the United States and France.

“Dinosaurs are strong, cool and beautiful, so I like them,” An said. “I want to live happily with my dinosaur friends and become a great dinosaur expert.”

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.

BY KIM YOUN-HO [[email protected]]