Evaluator / Advocacy Writer
“The young participants’ work in this exhibition is an exploration of what it means to be their own true selves—the good, the bad, the ugly…and everything in-between.”
On 13th June, young people from In Focus’ DSLR (Develop Skills, Learn and Reflect) programme unveiled their latest group exhibition. Working both collaboratively and individually, participants had spent recent months creating, and then curating, pieces to showcase under the title, And Everything In-Between.
“Your life is a series of labels and stereotypes—roles you are given at birth, inherited social identities and the lottery of where you grow up,” so began the opening statements, read by the young artists themselves as part of a short film. “The one thing we do have some control over is autonomous choice. To be who we want to be, to change our future selves, to become all of this, and none of this…and everything in-between.”
Back in October 2024, In Focus set up a new element of this work with young people—the Youth Leadership Pathways and Progression Group. This, Kristianne explained, was designed to “ensure authentic youth leadership and participation in the operation and strategic aspects of our charity.” Led by one of In Focus’ young trustees, Harry Holder, this group has been “instrumental in not only holding us accountable but also in steering and driving change in the way we operate,” said Kristianne. One of the requests the group made was for the chance to be more directly involved in exhibition planning, curation and installation. “So what you’re seeing here tonight, really is down to them and their hard work.”
In closing, Kristianne referenced the words of poet and author, Kae Tempest. “Kae says empathy is ‘remembering that everyone has a story, multiple stories, and remembering to make space to hear their stories before immediately telling your own.’ These young people have so many stories, more than we could actually fit in this space—so much more. Throughout the process of making this body of work, we’ve seen true collaboration between these young artists. People have generously stepped aside from their own work to support each other. It’s said that generosity should not be measured by how much you give, but by how much you keep for yourself. These young people have given everything. They are so much more than we could ever hope for. They are the future.”
And Everything in Between complemented previous exhibitions by these young artists. It was a further exploration of identity, sense of self, and of finding and using your own voice to make yourself heard. It was fitting then, that as these opening talks drew to a close, a noise stirred at the back of the room.
“Let’s resonate!” came the cry, in direct response. Attendees turned to witness a pop-up protest, young participants holding placards they’d designed, demanding fair and equal rights for LGBTQIA+ communities—a timely response to recent (and continued) rumblings in government and across mainstream media. The group shouted aloud the placard statements:
“I have strong feelings about this issue!” • “I’m a person, not a problem!” • “Trans rights are human rights!” • “Treatment shouldn’t cause trauma!” • “You are loved!”
As the protest chants died down and the young people dissipated into the crowd, the room filled with applause; the exhibition was officially marked open for all to explore at their own pace.
In the main gallery space, wooden partition boards housed photographic work by the young artists, utilising techniques they’d learnt during sessions with In Focus, including triptychs (a trio of connected images), to explore narratives of their choosing.
Work spilled out beyond this into the connecting space between the two floors. Here, one young artist’s work explored their lived experience of physical difference: “I wanted to capture my complicated relationship with my back and torso. I explored how I could see my scoliosis as a fashionable piece of clothing that I want to wear, rather than something that is purely subtractive from my appearance,” they eloquently explained.
Feedback left by visitors to the gallery mentioned repeatedly how moving they had found the exhibition, with comments ranging from “very moving and thought-provoking; well done to the young people” to “this brought me joy today” and “came here for a coffee and glad we did, enjoyed the exhibition!” One visitor even sketched a version of a photograph from the show, sending “love to everyone in between”.
Returning to the screening room below, visitors were able to watch the film installation in full and hear more from the young people themselves:
“Being an artist, I find the idea of ‘and everything in between’ to be kind of a challenge, because the way I experience emotions as an autistic person, it’s like my highs are really high, my lows are bad and scary. What’s in between? I just have to find out, you know? I have to look inward and find a space for myself to just be myself. And that’s both a challenging thing art-wise and for recovery. I find that I can recover in this group. I find that it’s healing.” (Young artist participant)
“I associate joy with community and people. Because coming here, I have a lot of joy meeting and seeing people like me. And just being creative around other people—that is my joy.” (Young artist participant)