Artist Daniel Regan specialises in the exploration of complex emotional experiences through the arts. His work is informed by his intersectional identities as a queer, disabled and neurodivergent person of mixed heritage.
This exhibition explores Daniel’s long-held complex relationship to a sense of belonging. The deeply personal works touch on family estrangement, cultural heritage, queerness and neurodivergent identity through mixed-media works.
The culmination of works and thinking from across the last five years, the exhibition also follows a research programme commissioned by Bethlem Gallery; a series of creative workshops, panel talks and a symposium held in 2025 that allowed Daniel to explore these themes from multiple perspectives.
This is the first exhibition that is a step away from a solely photographic practice for Daniel, who will be showing drawings, ink, image and text works.
In these distinctly different strands of work, Daniel is responding to things that are happening to him – some of which are unfolding in real time. For example, some of the works are made in response to Daniel’s late ADHD diagnosis last year. Others look at family archives and incredibly, Daniel’s genealogist has just given him updates and information that affects how he feels about his identity just weeks before the show is due to open.
As part of his practice supporting emerging artists, Daniel is supporting two artists to develop and exhibit work on the theme of belonging. Selected via an open call, artists Michael Mendones and Nina Gross present their micro-commissions.
Michael Mendones’ be(longing) micro commission is a film which portrays feelings of being an ‘alien in his skin’ following his shock late diagnosis of autism, exploring how he never felt he belonged in his family, culture, society in general and any social situation, and how he may have found his ‘tribe’ in other neurodivergent people.
Nina Gross’ micro-commission is made up of three miniature paper spaces from her family home: the living room, hallway, and a bedroom, places of transition and sanctuary, belonging and unbelonging. Lit atmospherically, objects within the rooms will tell their stories. The sculptures will be accompanied by poetic text.
Daniel Regan said;
“This exhibition explores my complex relationship with belonging, unbelonging and longing. These deeply personal new works touch on themes of family estrangement, neurodivergence and the generational impact of adoption, and I’m excited to be sharing artworks that take on many different forms for the first time.”
Karim Sultan, Bethlem Gallery Curator, said;
“Daniel Regan’s solo exhibition at Bethlem Gallery sees his practice expand as an artist and image-maker. The work itself is courageously open, revealing both experimentation in his process and in form, and an openness in allowing others in to see, feel, and relate what the artist is sharing to their own experiences. This spirit extends to the inclusion of the two micro-commissions of Nina Gross and Michael Mendones within a solo exhibition, and to Daniel Regan’s practice more broadly, which centres around bringing people together, and with ideas of being and belonging more broadly.”
Michael Mendones said;
“(be)longing has made me find ways to share my inner world to those that may find it alien; a chance to really process the last 15 months since the revelation of being diagnosed as autistic. I have purposefully worked with many neurodivergent artists on this project and their talent, resilience and sensitivity have really anchored my sense of who I am as we have recognised and appreciated each other. After being on the outside looking in all my life, I finally have a sense of places the mask can be removed – this film is a reflection of that long journey and its impact on me.”
Nina Gross said;
“Being part of this project has enabled me to follow through on a deeply personal exploration of the significance of the family home. Through creating miniature paper sculptures of shared and private living spaces, I have navigated themes of sanctuary, transition and the emotional weight of everyday objects.”
Bethlem Royal Hospital, Monks Orchard Road, London, BR3 3BX from
A series of talks and workshops will accompany the exhibition
Dates: 22 April – 11 July 2026
Opening Hours: Wednesday to Saturday, 9.30am-5pm
Full details: https://bethlemgallery.com/whats-on/exhibition-daniel-regan-belonging/
