Dream Rich was Li’s debut solo exhibition at Harlesden High Street Gallery, developed in response to the high density of betting shops in the surrounding area. Using sculpture, stickers, and wall-based works, the exhibition examined the seductive promise of gambling through observations of local betting culture. It reflects on escapism, the illusion of breaking cycles of financial hardship, and the dream of becoming wealthy — a dream that often remains just that.

Stripping away the glamour and spectacle commonly associated with gambling, the exhibition revealed the reality beneath the promise of quick fortune. The project exposes the deceptive nature of gambling environments and the illusion of control shaped by corporate systems, questioning how working-class aspirations become entangled with fantasies of sudden wealth.

Floor-to-ceiling windows allowed natural light to flood the space, deliberately contrasting the sealed, windowless interiors typical of betting shops. At the entrance, a small cherry-logo sticker replaced the oversized neon signage usually associated with gambling venues, subtly subverting familiar visual cues.

At the centre of the exhibition, Slot Chair — collected from a casino — disrupts the traditional mass-produced gambling seat with a handmade steel spring that threatens to topple the sitter, creating a bodily experience of instability. While casino seating is designed to anchor players to machines, this altered object removes balance and control.

Six framed “cash out” tickets line the walls, including Hot Chance and Mega Joker, named after slot machines played in local betting shops. Although they resemble winning receipts, they only show small gains rather than total losses. Arranged clockwise, they quietly mark the passage of time, contrasting with the timeless atmosphere casinos attempt to create.

Through the distortion of familiar symbols, Dream Rich interrogates the hypnotic allure of gambling and the blurred boundary between risk and reward.