The Barbican has announced In Other Worlds, the first UK solo exhibition by artist, director and BAFTA-nominated producer Liam Young, set to open from 21 May to 6 September 2026. The immersive exhibition will feature films, costumes, miniature models, comics and sound-led environments exploring speculative futures shaped by climate change and emerging technologies. A new commission, World Machine (2026), will serve as the centrepiece, imagining a planetary-scale AI system where nature and computation coexist. Other works include Planet City (2021), The Great Endeavour (2023), and After the End (2024), co-authored with Aboriginal actor Natasha Wanganeen.
The exhibition matters because it marks a significant moment in the Barbican's Immersive programme, positioning Young's work as a vital contribution to contemporary discourse on climate urgency and technological possibility. By blending fiction with real climate scenarios, In Other Worlds offers audiences a space to confront environmental challenges while imagining hopeful alternatives. The show's international tour following its London premiere underscores its relevance in a global art context, where speculative storytelling is increasingly recognized as essential to understanding and shaping our future.