The Grants building in London has opened its doors to the UK’s largest-ever exhibition on hobbies. Curated by award-winning artist and Spider-Man enthusiast Hetain Patel, Come As You Really Are is a show aimed at revealing the unique pastimes of the British people, and what these pursuits can tell us about work, play and identity.

“There is a vulnerability in sharing something so personal, which often happens in private spaces around the responsibilities of daily life,” explains Patel. “But there is also a tremendous power in sharing collectively, which is at the heart of this project. I hope people join us in this celebration of the unstoppable nature of self-expression that is demonstrated by our hobbies.”

Commissioned by arts organisation Artangel, the ambitious exhibition features over 14,000 objects, from handmade Cosplay costumes and musical instruments, to miniature origami, Warhammer pieces and customised dolls. There are also extensive collections of toys of every kind, including figurines from My Little Pony and Action Man, as well as scaled-up models of characters from iconic films and video games.

The displays span a broad range of hobbies, including collecting, arts and crafts, knitting, Lego building, car modification and miniature model-making. There are even examples of more niche interests such as micro-ceramics, chainmail jewellery, 19th century banjo-making and creating firelighters from citrus peels.

These pastimes, and their corresponding objects, were discovered by Patel after he put out a call out at the start of the year asking people around the country to submit information on their hobbies, including what these activities mean to them and why they are so passionate in their pursuits. Patel received more than 1,500 responses, many of which were used to build this show, with participants placing their trust in the artist and allowing him to showcase their treasured collections.

Given Patel’s own reputation as a passionate hobbyist, he was certainly the right man for the job. In fact, the exhibition even features three Spider-Man outfits he has created, as well as a modified car with intricate panelling made from patterned textiles.

One of Patel’s most well-known pieces, Fiesta Transformer was created in a similar vein, with the artist transforming his first car into a giant robot. For Come As You Really Are, Patel has also contributed a film “which elevates the outstanding creativity and passion that people put into their hobbies”. The film combines cinematic production with quotidian scenes to highlight ephemeral pastimes.

“Hetain Patel’s work has always invited us to reflect on identity as multidimensional and complex,” says Mariam Zulfiqar, director of Artangel. “For [this show], he extended an invitation to people around the UK, asking them to share the pastimes that form part of their identity. The ambitious presentation of thousands of objects loaned by hundreds of people embraces our differences, and invites us to rethink what we value in an age dominated by consumerism.”

Mariam continues: “This nationwide project has been made possible through a network of partners across the UK, and could only have been achieved with the generous contributions from the many hundreds of participants. We hope people enjoy seeing this very public presentation of the activities that enrich our lives.”

Come As You Really Are is on show at The Hobby Cave at Grants, Croydon until October 20; artangel.org.uk