Five intergenerational artists come together at October Gallery to examine migration, cultural heritage and the unequal consequences of global consumption.
Image courtesy of the event organisers.
An exhibition opening at London’s October Gallery on Wednesday 28 October will bring together five artists whose work explores the relationships between displacement, cultural identity and the value society places on people, objects and materials.
Titled DISPLACED, the exhibition features Charlie Phillips OBE, ARU (Arunima Gautam), Navinder Nangla, , Ryan Hawaii and Mr Darcy . Through photography, textiles, sculpture, fashion and reclaimed materials, the artists approach a shared set of questions from different cultural and generational perspectives.
Presented by Art Ain’t Trash, the exhibition draws a connection between human displacement and waste colonialism — the unequal movement and distribution of waste, often leaving less powerful communities to bear its environmental costs.
Beyond what we throw away
First, DISPLACED challenges assumptions about discarded materials. It asks whether something considered worthless can acquire new meaning.
Through their work, the artists encourage audiences to reconsider the value of everyday materials. In doing so, they also raise questions about consumption and responsibility.
Who decides what is valuable? More importantly, who benefits from global consumption? And which communities bear the environmental costs?
As a result, the exhibition places these questions within a wider discussion of inequality, history and representation. Rather than treating environmental justice as purely ecological, it also highlights its social dimensions.
Five artists, different perspectives
The participating artists bring distinct experiences and practices to the exhibition.
Charlie Phillips OBE is recognised for his photography documenting Black life in Britain. His work offers insights into community, representation and cultural history.
Darcy Thomas, also known as Mr Darcy, is both an exhibiting artist and curator. Ryan Hawaii, Navinder Nangla and ARU bring further perspectives through their artistic practices.
Together, the artists explore heritage, identity and belonging. Their work reflects the varied experiences of diaspora communities across generations.
The exhibition is produced by Corrine Bougaard, Founder and Artistic Director of Union Dance. Her career spans choreography, interdisciplinary arts, education and mentoring.
Bougaard has spent decades developing creative work across artistic forms and communities. Her involvement brings a wider context of cultural exchange and social engagement to the project.
Art as a way of asking difficult questions
Today, debates about migration, sustainability and inequality often happen separately. However, DISPLACED brings these issues into the same cultural space.
The exhibition considers how histories pass between generations. At the same time, it explores how materials reflect the systems through which they circulate.
In this way, art can help make overlooked experiences visible. The artists invite audiences to question established ideas about responsibility, recognition and value.
For London audiences, DISPLACED offers an opportunity to encounter contemporary art with a social perspective. Ultimately, it connects personal and collective histories with wider global concerns.
Exhibition information
DISPLACED
Date: Wednesday 28 October 2026
Time: 12pm–10pm
Venue: October Gallery, 24 Old Gloucester Street, London WC1N 3AL
Tickets: £12 plus booking fee
Book: via Eventbrite
Venue information: https://www.octobergallery.co.uk/events/
Accessibility: Event information states that the second-floor theatre room does not have disabled access. Therefore, visitors requiring step-free access should contact the gallery before travelling.
