Unit 8; SLSL Research; In Conversation with Helen

We spoke to Hart Club's Helen Ralli when creating our magazine, Working With Hart, to find out what Hart Club is really about...

From Hart's exhibition, Carry on Delboy in collaboration with Paul Digby

How did Hart Club come to be?

"After leaving UAL I was working as a curator in a gallery space which took open-admissions, it was in 2017 when I was commissioned to organise an exhibition for an amazing group the Camberwell Incredibles, which celebrated neurodiversity within the arts. The work was incredible. This was the first time since leaving art school I felt truly inspired.

"This group was making these amazing pieces of work, stuff that you would see in major art galleries. But in the twenty years the group had been working together, they had never had an exhibition. I went home that night and it kept replaying in my mind, they had never had an exhibition.

"This was where Hart was born. I wanted to make a space which enabled artists who think, communicate and create differently. A space which is accessible to everyone. Where people could have the opportunity to display their work in a gallery, who would never be given that opportunity elsewhere."

This was the first time since leaving art school I felt truly inspired.

What is neurodiversity?

"Neurodiversity basically means everyone's way of thinking. In the same way we have biodiversity, meaning every living thing. neurodiversity is every different way of thinking. I feel there is so much negativity surrounding the world disabled. As someone who is not disabled, I would never police the world, I know that it can be really empowering for some, but at the same time it is not for me to place that word upon someone.

"Disability implies that one is not able. Whereas it is often the world around them not being accessible, which disables them. And that needs to change. When creating Hart Club, we wanted to create a space which enables everyone. Because that's what neurodiversity is, everyone."

Disability implies one is not able. Whereas it is often the world around them not being accessible, which disables them.

Who are The Great Grey?

"Initially The Great Grey was a group which wasn't based in Hart, it was ran by my good friend Cress, in various locations. The group worked with people in the early stages of dementia diagnosis, and for this reason it was really difficult on the group for them to keep changing locations. So that's when The Great Grey came to Hart. 

"We run the group every Tuesday. Although we are working with an art therapist, its less of a therapy and more of a community really. At Heart We try to create an environment which is more like a collective. And I think that's the most important thing about this group, it's a family, people know where you are going to be, someone always knows, and cares."

I think that's the most important thing about this group, it's a family.

Do you have a piece you feel represents Hart Club?

"this piece was created by two artists, Andy and Donal. I think it really represents Hart in the way that we like the bring people together who wouldn't normally interact, so they can collaborate and create together. Andy's line work is very unplanned, he liked to just throw his work onto the paper, and these amazing pieces come out. Whereas Donal is the opposite, he studied graphics as a degree, and his work is very meticulously planned out. So Andy created the lines with his free way of mark-making, and Donal used his meticulous planning to apply it to the canvas. 


"Whats so beautiful about this piece is that it couldn't exist without both artists. It is both Andy and Donal, but not one alone. We bring people together, that's what we do."

We bring people together, that's what we do.

What are your aims for the future of Hart Club?

"I think there is still a lot which needs to be challenged in the art world. Think about it, how many neurodiverse people are on your course, not many. The industry is very exclusive to one type of person, and that needs to change.

"You're still worthy and valuable, even if you don't tick every box. And this is where our education is failing us. How is it that the only thing people value us on if you're good at everything across the board. In order to bring people up we have to work together. It's not about the individual and their ego. We need to challenge what we know about art, who can create, who we celebrate."

Find out more about what Hart Club do on Instagram via @hartclublondon or at hartclub.org

(This interview is not for profit and for marking purposes only).