Provocatively titled ‘I’m Not Okay’ and promising an “unfiltered look at when youth culture was cute, raw, vulnerable, and unapologetically different”, Barbican Music Library’s new exhibition examines how the early Emo scene resonated so deeply with a generation of teenagers.

‘I’m Not Okay (An Emo Retrospective)’, which opens tomorrow, is a collaboration between the Museum of Youth Culture (MOYC) and the City of London Corporation-owned library.

Featuring personal photos taken on early digital and mid-00s phone cameras, the content has been retrieved from old hard drives and Photobucket accounts and focuses on the first-generation Emo scene (2004-2009) when bands such as My Chemical Romance, Fall Out Boy, and Finch were hugely influential.

The result, says MOYC, is a visually engaging exhibition that delves into how Emo subculture became a positive force for acceptance, addressing issues of sexuality, mental health, gender, identity, and belonging.

Creative Director, Museum of Youth Culture, Jamie Brett said:  

“The Emo scene resonated deeply with teens who wanted to express their angst, doubts, insecurity, and sense of feeling and being different, and channelled their collective melancholy into a transatlantic subculture.

“As well as the content that we unearthed digitally, we are very grateful to everyone who remembered how Emo culture helped shape their lives and answered our shout-outs for visual material for the exhibition, essentially, giving them a degree of ownership of it. 

“We are all hugely proud of ‘I’m Not Okay (An Emo Retrospective)’ and over the course of its four-month run at Barbican Music Library, the Museum’s team is looking forward to hearing how it evokes vivid memories of this pivotal time in people’s lives.”

Chairman of the City of London Corporation’s Culture, Heritage and Libraries Committee, Munsur Ali, said:

“Free to view and always very well-received, exhibitions at Barbican Music Library excel in showcasing the work of legendary bands, solo artists, and music photographers.

“This new exhibition, rich in discovered and donated visual material from the era, will prove very popular with everyone who drew comfort and inspiration from their favourite Emo bands’ confessional lyrics, and strength and a sense of release from creating their own visual identity.”

The City of London Corporation is one of the largest funders of heritage and cultural activities in the UK, investing over £130m every year. The organisation manages a range of world-class cultural and heritage institutions, including the Barbican Centre, Tower Bridge, Guildhall School of Music & Drama, Guildhall Art Gallery, The London Archives, and Keats House. It also supports the London Symphony Orchestra and the London Museum.

Destination City is the City of London Corporation’s growth strategy for the Square Mile as a world-leading business and leisure location. Destination City is delivering a seven-day-a-week Square Mile that is a global magnet for businesses and residents, visitors, and workers alike.

ENDS

Notes for Editors:

‘I'm Not Okay (An Emo Retrospective)’ is presented at Barbican Music Library from 26 September 2024 to 15 January 2025. Admission is FREE.

All requests for images and interviews should be directed to either :

Andrew Buckingham, Media Officer (Arts, Culture, Heritage, Licensing), City of London Corporation / 07795 333060 / andrew.buckingham@cityoflondon.gov.uk

Luigia Minichiello, Media Relation Manager - Museum of Youth Culture / 07768 447 854/ Luigia@museumofyouthculture.com 

About Museum of Youth Culture

The Museum of Youth Culture is an emerging museum dedicated to the styles, sounds and social movements innovated by young people over the last 100 years. Championing the impact of youth on modern society, the Museum of Youth Culture’s collection incorporates photographs, ephemera, objects and oral histories celebrating our shared youth culture history. From the bomb-site Bicycle racers in post-war 1940s London, to the Acid House ravers of 1980s Northern England, the Museum of Youth Culture empowers the extraordinary everyday stories of growing up in Britain.

About the City of London Corporation:

The City of London Corporation, which owns and manages Barbican Music Library, is the governing body of the Square Mile dedicated to a vibrant and thriving City, supporting a diverse and sustainable London within a globally successful UK –  www.cityoflondon.gov.uk

About Barbican Music Library:

Barbican Music Library, which is owned and managed by the City of London Corporation and located in the prestigious Barbican Centre, holds one of the most significant public music col­lections in the country. As well as a large stock of books, scores, periodicals and audiovisual items, a range of digital resources is available for use by library members. The library hosts a vibrant exhibition and events programme which showcases the musical diversity of London and the UK. This has been achieved through the forging of partnerships with individuals and organisations from the world of music which has enabled us to feature a range of musical genres including pop & rock, classical, folk music, jazz, and world music.

Barbican Music Library (Barbican Centre, Level 2 – www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/services/libraries/barbican-music-library)

The Barbican is widely accessible by bus, tube, train and by foot or bicycle. Plan your journey and find more route information in ‘Your Visit’ or book your car parking space in advance.