Hooked: When want becomes need, Science Gallery London ★★★★★

The new Science Gallery London is 'a space where science meets art — and where anything can happen,' says neuroscientist Daniel Glaser, the gallery’s daring new director. At the heart of a £30M King's College redevelopment project, connecting King’s researchers to galleries worldwide, Science Gallery London seeks to drive experimentation, innovation and youth engagement in the field.

Housed within a wing of the original eighteenth-century Guy’s Hospital, opposite the Shard, Science Gallery London boasts a state-of-the-art theatre, a picturesque Georgian courtyard, retail shop and a suite of exhibition galleries. In keeping with the gallery's mission of accessibility, all of the exhibition spaces are free to the public. 'Accessibility,' Glaser says, 'is about more than wheelchairs'. Unlike many London-based educational institutions, however, Science Gallery London does not have a permanent collection, or any in-house permanent curators.

Science Gallery London

Instead, every year, the new experimental hub will present three themed seasons, organised in collaboration with outside curators and young adults from the local community. Each season will incorporate exhibitions, events, performances, live experiments, music evenings, open discussions and festivals, all with scientific engagement at their core.

Inaugurating the new 500m² gallery space this September is a ground-breaking free exhibition, exploring urgent issues surrounding addiction and recovery, from drugs and gaming to smartphones and social media. Hooked: When Want Becomes Need interrogates human impulse, the social and personal challenges of addiction, and the meaning and need for recovery when addiction takes control.

The upstairs gallery has been transformed into a discombobulating, dark labyrinth, which, on entering, triggers an almost immediate feeling of anxiety and claustrophobia within the viewer. It's a simple but effective way of evoking the complex psychological and physiological effects of addiction. The narrative is simple and mostly chronological: as we journey through the maze, we journey through the trajectory of addiction, from the heady days of thrill seeking to the days of urgent and necessary recovery.

Installation view: Hooked, Science Gallery London

Dozens of multi-disciplinary installations by artists, researchers and people with experience of addiction punctuate the maze at random intervals. They ask big questions about the neurological and sociological triggers of addiction, but swerve the gross responsibility of offering concrete answers. Instead, they invite viewers to re-evaluate the stigmas, misconceptions and judgements associated with addiction and addicts in society. Although the illusion to complicated research is a little overwhelming in parts, this engaging and daring exhibition tackles weighty issues with delicacy and aplomb. We praise the steps taken by Science Gallery London to make seminal and life-changing research accessible, even, enjoyable to a wider London audience.

Although London is home to other great public spaces dedicated to scientific research and experimentation, from The Welcome Collection to the Science Museum, Science Gallery London has a particular mission: to inspire 15-25 year olds in the local community in scientific development and research. The Gallery operates 'an open call' submission process to encourage young locals, students, curators, artists, members of the local community and scientists to unite and submit exhibition proposals for consideration. An expert panel, from a range of backgrounds and disciplines, known as The Leonardo Group, will oversee the curation and direction of the varied seasonal events programme.

About the Science Gallery London

The Science Gallery is part of the King's College Global Science Gallery Network – which will see eight galleries open or in development by 2020, connecting King’s researchers to the local community. Each Science Gallery will provide its home city with a platform for live research and experimentation – exposing local communities to unexpected and surprising exhibitions and inspiring the next generation of creative thinkers.