Hooked

 

If you can catch it before it ends, I thoroughly recommend visiting HOOKED at the Science Gallery, King’s College, London.  It’s a free exhibition which combines art and science to explore issues around addiction and recovery.  HOOKED looks at a variety of different types of addictions including alcohol, gaming, smoking, gambling and social media.  I enjoyed the combination of scientific information, first-hand accounts of those with lived experience of addiction and recovery, and the immersive installations and artworks.

 

One of the highlights for me was the extraordinary hour long film “Feed Me” by artist Rachel Maclean, which explores how social media contributes to our feelings of self-worth.  It was mesmerising, shocking and also darkly humorous in places.  I was also moved by the short film of a “letter to alcohol” which was read by a woman in recovery.  It was a powerful reminder of the devastation that alcohol can wreak on people’s lives, but it also gave hope that recovery is achievable.

 

https://london.sciencegallery.com/news/hooked