4000 My Little Ponies feature in an exhibition showcasing hobbies, alongside homemade banjos and customized Action Men

Ever wondered how people spend their spare time? A new exhibition celebrating the U.K.'s hobbies opened on July 18 in Croydon, featuring over 14,000 items, including collections and creations. It's the idea of Hetain Patel, himself a dedicated hobbyist, and the organization Artangel who have taken over Grant's Entertainment Centre with the exhibition. Called "Come As You Really Are," it displays people's passions—whether it's collecting plastic bags or creating cosplay costumes. Patel says he felt entrusted by the hobbyists to present their secrets. "Sometimes the work’s made by communities of people, like some of the quilts for example, or pompoms. But oftentimes, it's people just working on their own, kind of squirreling away in their kitchen or their bedroom, making a miniature or something small and often for themselves. They might show it to some people close to them, but it's not something that they necessarily talk a lot about." Patel has a few items at the exhibition, including plenty of Spider-Man outfits he made at his kitchen table and a Transformer he made in his dad's garage with car parts. Plus, a new piece of work where he hand-tufted a replica of his grandmother's carpet and used it to cover a Ford Escort car. Making the rug took nine months. Also on display are sculptures, miniatures, nail art, 55,000 pompoms and Warhammer figurines. Miranda Worby's collection of 4,000 My Little Ponies is one of the highlights. A fan since she was a young girl, Worby lent her display of the toys to the exhibition, admitting that she has almost the same number again in storage at home. "Come As You Really Are" opened on July 18 and will be showing in Croydon until  October 20 before going on a tour of the U.K. in 2025. This article was provided by The Associated Press.