A new exhibition at London's Somerset House is examining the sacred nature of pop fandom.

Titled Holy Pop, the show features personal shrines and collections created by devoted music fans.

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The exhibition aims to challenge negative stereotypes about collectors and superfans. Curator Tory Turk organized the event to highlight the emotional value of fan devotion.

Personal Shrines and Emotional Purpose

Photographer Alice Hawkins contributed a shrine dedicated to Dolly Parton. Hawkins turned to her obsession after a friend's suicide, finding solace at Dollywood in Tennessee.

Her collection includes memorabilia, dried leaves from Parton's garden, and worn hair extensions. Hawkins said dressing as her idol made her feel alive.

Other exhibits feature a cabinet of Prince memorabilia, Spice Girls merchandise, and a George Michael icon with the singer's face replacing a saint's.

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A branch from the sycamore tree where Marc Bolan died in 1977 is also displayed.

Artist Dandy Day exhibited a Yellow Submarine cookie jar that once held their mother's ashes.

Day explained that their mother introduced them to the Beatles as a way to understand grief.

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Fandom as Spiritual Practice

The exhibition directly links modern fandom to religious devotion. One installation features Nina Simone's discarded chewing gum, displayed in a glass case like a holy relic.

Artist duo Athen and Nina created Dreamgirl 2, an installation replicating a teenager's chaotic bedroom. Athen Kardashian said fandom helps people discover who they are.

Curator Turk noted that historical institutions have neglected fan archives, leaving fans to act as citizen curators. She warned that physical collecting faces extinction due to digital shifts.

Artist Nina Mhach Durban hunts for obsolete physical media like Britney Spears tapes. This preserves a vanishing element of fan culture.

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Turk emphasized that owning objects allows deeper absorption of memories. Online spaces lack this physical connection, potentially leaving souls less full.