King's College London opens Science Gallery London with HOOKED

On 21 September the new Science Gallery London at King’s College London opens its doors with HOOKED, a thought provoking season which explores the cyclical processes of addiction and recovery.

Leading voices on the science of addiction from King’s College London, including researchers from the Institute of Psychology, Psychiatry & Neuroscience (IoPPN), are interwoven into video installations, interactive artworks and immersive experiences featured within the season. 

Developed in association with people who have a lived experience of addiction, the HOOKED season will invite attendees to challenge the stigmas associated with addiction, consider addiction as a health issue which affects us all, and explore how recovery takes many forms. HOOKED will also examine addiction as a fundamental risk of being a modern human amidst the backdrop of the criminalisation of drugs, and the addictive nature of new technology and social media. 

Dr Sally Marlow, Engagement and Impact Fellow at the IoPPN, and Curatorial Advisor for HOOKED, said:

‘King’s research on addiction has been pivotal in informing the exhibition and events programme for HOOKED. We hope the innovative installations and collaborations within HOOKED will provoke thought and debate in people young and old, and inspire them to think about addiction in new ways.’

Jen Wong, Head of Programming at the Science Gallery London added, ‘Addiction and recovery is a pressing issue that affects us all. HOOKED explores this in an inclusive and socially engaged way, by weaving insights from art and science into a season that invites visitors to connect with provocative new ideas and consider their own attitudes towards addiction and addictive behaviours.’

There will be a dynamic events programme throughout the duration of the HOOKED season. Events will include immersive experiences, talks, performances and workshops within Science Gallery London’s new home. The events programme will include two Friday Lates, the first of which will kickstart a weekend festival curated by Science Gallery London’s Young Leaders – a group of 15-25 years olds drawn from the boroughs of Southwark and Lambeth and the King’s community who play a pivotal role in the direction of the gallery.

For further information on the events programme, please visit https://london.sciencegallery.com