differently various: exhibition guide

Celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, Headway East London is a charity based in Hackney that supports over 700 people affected by brain injury annually across 13 boroughs, and has grown into an empowering, creative community for brain injury survivors.

In 2019, the charity became the Barbican’s first Community Collaborator, piloting a partnership based on two-way exchange and learning. differently various – a takeover of The Curve and the first exhibition co-produced by people living with brain injury – is the culmination of this four-year partnership.

The title emerged as an expression that Headway East London member Quentin Goss used to describe their community.

The vision of this exhibition is to recreate the places, spaces and creativity of the community at Headway East London. differently various honours their voices and perspectives through four journeys: Experience, Learning, Creativity and Community.

Sharing the artwork and stories of individuals who have experienced brain injury alongside a series of member-led events, this exhibition welcomes you into the vitality of its Hackney centre and art studio, Submit to Love.

Starting with the question ‘who gets to be an artist?’, differently various has been co-produced with a Steering Group of 11 Headway members and volunteers who have been meeting for over a year. They set the vision and direction and have taken major creative decisions collectively, from choosing the title to recruiting the designers. Actively contributing as artists and decision-makers, their passion shines through in what you are about to experience.

Headway East London

At Headway East London, every member has an Acquired Brain Injury (ABI). ABI has many different causes including strokes, meningitis, encephalitis, and brain tumours, but also injuries to the head caused by things like car accidents (known as Traumatic Brain Injury or TBI).

Headway East London’s vision is for people living with brain injury to experience a world which is accessible to them, and where their contributions are valued and celebrated. They believe that every member has something to contribute to both Headway and the wider community. Members participate in occupational projects that inspire new, and perhaps unexpected, identities like artist, chef and musician.

The heart of Headway East London is its centre – a space of fun, food, music, dance and games. From cooking a delicious daily lunch together, to joining in a music jam or singing happy birthday, members are at the core of the community. Everyone – members, staff, volunteers and visitors – are a valued and celebrated part of this powerful community.

Submit to Love
Discovery Through Art

Creativity can be a powerful tool for recovery, communication and self-expression. A brain injury can change how you perceive the world, and how you perceive yourself, leading to new outlets of artistic expression that help people accept and develop from their brain injury, as well as take on new identities: as artists.

At Headway East London, some members discover newfound creativity following their brain injury – undiscovered talents that they develop week after week in the Submit to Love art studio, as named by member Tony Allen. It is a buzzing and open environment, and is home to all the artists living with brain injury that you see in this exhibition.

For Submit to Love, the act of making is an empowering and hopeful one. In making something, you’re discovering new gifts, new cultures, and new connections. That’s why their mission is ‘discovery through art’. Art that is by everyone, for everyone.