Barbican Immersive, the touring exhibition arm of London's Barbican Centre, has announced its 2026 exhibition "In Other Worlds," the first UK solo show by artist, director and BAFTA-nominated producer Liam Young. The exhibition will debut at the Barbican Centre from 21 May to 6 September 2026 as part of the Barbican's Summer season, before touring internationally. It features films, costumes, props, miniature models, comics, tapestries, and soundscapes that imagine hopeful futures amid environmental and technological challenges. Highlights include the world premiere of Young's film "World Machine" (2026), which envisions an AI-powered planetary supercomputer, alongside earlier works such as "Planet City" (2021), "The Great Endeavour" (2023), and "After the End" (2024).
This exhibition matters because it positions speculative fiction and design as tools for addressing urgent environmental crises, offering a 'radically hopeful' alternative to dystopian narratives. By grounding imagined futures in real technologies and climate possibilities, Young's work invites audiences to reconsider the relationship between technological progress and environmental stewardship. The show also underscores the Barbican's continued investment in immersive, thought-provoking exhibitions that engage with contemporary global issues, and it marks a significant milestone for Young as his first UK solo exhibition at a major cultural institution.