The Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe in Hamburg is currently presenting the group exhibition Glitter. Glitter sparkles and shimmers, fascinates and outrages. It can be found on the stage as well as on protest posters and in children’s rooms. Glitter is omnipresent – and yet the Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe Hamburg (MK&G) is the first museum in the world to dedicate an exhibition to this material. The show will focus on glitter as a symbol of belonging, empowerment and self-determination and highlight its use in political contexts and collective movements. Around 40 international examples from the worlds of art and design are brought together here – works that make use of glitter as an expression of collective exuberance and “queer joy”, as a means of protest, in performance and pop culture, and as a symbol of drawing attention to marginalised groups and of resistance against body shaming. The exhibits include a glittering teen bedroom designed by Hamburg artist Jenny Schäfer, photographs by Quil Lemons, skateboards by Mickalene Thomas, GIFs by Molly Soda, show wigs designed by Hamburg wig wizards Karl Gadzali and Mohamad Barakat-Götz for Olivia Jones, and a stage outfit worn by Bill Kaulitz. Starting in June 2025, the exhibition will add 300 square metres of fuchsia glitter with the spatial installation “Puff Out” by the Turkish-Belgian duo :mentalKLINIK.
Image above: Hannah Altman, Untitled III, from the series “And Everything Nice”, 2015, © Hannah Altman
Visitor participation is encouraged – people can for example send in their favourite private objects in advance of the opening, add important glitter events to a sparkling timeline or design their own glittering items in the DIY room.
Dr. Carsten Brosda, Senator for Culture and Media: “There may have been more tinsel in the past, but today we have more glitter! The MK&G is dedicating an entire exhibition to these tiny particles that often elicit such strong emotions. Glitter is more than just sparkling decoration – it is a symbol of visibility, self-determination and resistance. It fascinates and provokes in equal measure. The exhibition ‘Glitter’ explores the material’s varied uses and their meanings in different social and cultural contexts. As the first-ever show to address this topic, ‘Glitter’ highlights the many dazzling facets of this phenomenon in the heart of our cultural city of Hamburg and at the same time sends out an important signal promoting diversity in our society.”
Tulga Beyerle, Director of the Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe Hamburg: “Glitter is emblematic of the attitude toward life of a diverse society; it is a symbol of belonging and feeling welcome. The exhibition celebrates the joy of glitter – as a design material, a means of individual expression and a social phenomenon. We are delighted to be able to involve so many people, whether through personal glitter stories or collaboration with communities. In our role as a space for many, we want to make disparate viewpoints visible and anchor an enduring openness to them in our society.”
Exhibition chapters
The six chapters of the exhibition illustrate the diverse, complex and sometimes contradictory contexts in which glitter appears.
In the central exhibition gallery – the Hall of Glitter – a polyphonic glitter cosmos unfurls, with unicorns and sticker albums, cell phone cases, nail polish, Christmas decorations and dancing shoes that put visitors in the mood for engaging with this fascinating material. 100 or so favourite objects collected in an open call will be accompanied by personal stories.
The Glitter up! gallery examines how glitter figures in protests and the confrontation with body ideals, role expectations and the visibility of marginalised groups. Documentary photographs by Mirjana Mitrovic, Gisela Volá and Mercedes Grassi King show green and pink glitter as activist material for feminist protests and as a symbol of solidarity in Mexico and Argentina. In glitter-enhanced portraits, US photographer Hannah Altman draws attention to taboo bodily fluids and imperfections. Gender boundaries are blurred in the photo series by Lorenzo Triburgo and Sarah Van Dyck from New York City, which showcase historical locations and poses. Burlesque performer Pansy St. Battie confidently stages herself, her body and her wheelchair with plenty of glitter and glamour.
The chapter Sparkle and Shine features costumes, wigs, nail art and video works. Rather than showy effects, here it is all about fragile moments of styling an individual and collective identity. A stage outfit worn by Bill Kaulitz on Tokio Hotel’s 2010 “Humanoid” tour meets up with extravagant wigs by Hamburg wig artists Karl Gadzali and Mohamad Barakat-Götz. The large-format video work “Style Over Substance” by the Australian duo The Huxleys shimmers in neon hues, flirting with both glamour and absurdity. A total of 100 unusual and expansive nail designs provide a glimpse of the international nail art scene and its exuberant creativity. Brazilian artist Rafa Bqueer has designed a costume that combines glittering pop aesthetics with indigenous symbols and narratives. The video work “Epilogue” by Cao Guimarães and Rivana Neuenschwander shows the moment following a performance, zeroing in on a group of ants busily clearing away glittering confetti.
For the Teenage Glitter gallery, Hamburg-based artist and photographer Jenny Schäfer has staged a sparkling teen bedroom. A film installation by Hamburg filmmaker Sarah Drath and video works by US performance and media artist Molly Soda assemble shimmering moments from film and television history as well as contemporary internet culture. Analogue collages by Chila Kumari Singh Burman and Andrés Pérez as well as skateboards designed by the painter Mickalene Thomas take their place in a spatial installation that deliberately breaks with mainstream images of coming of age, shedding light instead on what it means to grow up as part of a marginalised group. In his early photo series “Glitterboy”, Quil Lemons, who has since risen to worldwide fame as a fashion photographer and artist, addresses stereotypical images of men and the lack of visibility of Black boys.
The chapter Glitter Craft is dedicated to DIY. As an inexpensive and high-impact material, glitter lends itself to embellishment and enhancement. International DIY artists take a playful and self-assured approach to a material that is often denigrated as kitschy, toying with the related clichés and conventions. In five video tutorials, Damali Abrams, María Domínguez Moreno, Sam Reece, Fleur Stiels and Fiona Tretau invite viewers to get creative: A variety of materials are available at a central table, which can be used in and outside of regular workshops.
Glittermania – The History of Glitter focuses on glitter as a material and a phenomenon, tracing its history, production and use. A timeline comprising texts, photos, videos and objects draws a trajectory from Cleopatra to the invention of glitter in New Jersey in 1934 and onward to Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour in 2024. This chapter furthermore examines the debates about the environmentally and potentially also morally harmful nature of glitter. Visitors are invited to add further glitter highlights to the timeline.
As of 5 June 2025, two adjacent galleries will display the poetic and immersive installation “Puff Out” by the Turkish-Belgian duo :mentalKLINIK. It consists of 20 or so robotic vacuum cleaners that have been modified to not only suck up glitter but also spit it out again. The result is an abstract, constantly changing “painting” that takes shape across the glittering pink floor.
Participating artists:
mentalKLINIK (Belgium / Turkey), Damali Abrams (USA), Hannah Altmann (USA), Sophia Bizer (Germany), Chila Kumari Singh Burman (UK), Rafa BQueer (Brazil), Dean and Dan Caten (Canada), T.L. Cowan (Canada), María Domínguez Moreno / Doodlelingyou (Spain), Sarah Drath (Germany), Karl Gadzali and Mohamad Barakat-Götz (Germany), Cao Guimarães and Rivane Neuenschwander (Brazil), Regine Eurydike Hader (Germany), The Huxleys (Australia), Bill Kaulitz (Germany / USA), Mercedes Grassi King (Argentina), Quil Lemons (USA), Mirjana Mitrovic (Germany), Andrés Pérez (Venezuela), Sam Reece / Shitty Craft Club (USA), Jenny Schäfer (Germany), Molly Soda (USA), Pansy St. Battie (USA), Fleur Stiels / Holy Glitter Zine (Netherlands), Fiona Tretau / The Propcorner (Germany), Lorenzo Triburgo and Sarah Van Dyck (USA), Gisela Volá (Argentina) and others.
Nail Artists: 3rzhuobabypink (China), Peggy Chen (Taiwan), ckdesignedit (USA), Dracula Nails (Hungary), Franziska Unger / Franzischek (Germany), Natasha Blake / Fuego Nails (UK), Reina Takano / hitomebore (Japan), Keele Ma’llo / Honeybabysets (Canada), Afa/Soppi / isla Berlin (Germany), Louise Corbert / Nettle Nails (USA), Anna Sancho Barbera / Pannkks (Spain), Minki Warhol / Sex Nails (Germany), Thams Does Claws (Germany), Citlali Guetierrez / unitas_f3ass (USA), Britney Tokyo (USA), Maria Vanails (Greece), Zaira Vega (Mexiko)
Supporting programme
A varied supporting programme will take place in the exhibition galleries, the MK&G Freiraum and various locations in Hamburg. In a variety of formats and in cooperation with local initiatives and actors, the fascination and joy of the material will be experienced, forums and spaces for exchange will be created, people will be brought together and the resistant potential of glitter will be discussed. Talks, drag tours, film series and glitter tours will take place on various aspects of design, identity, politics, urban society and community with a focus on the role of glitter. Among other things, the museum is cooperating with the Hamburg Short Film Festival, Queer History Month and Hamburg Pride. In addition, a diverse series of workshops will be held in the DIY space in the exhibition.
Film
Glittering film programme at the Hamburg Short Film Festival
Thursday, 5 & Friday, 6 June 2025
more information coming soon at: festival.shortfilm.com
Workshops
Doing Glitter with María Domínguez Moreno (DOODLELINGYOU)
Saturday, 1 March 2025, 1pm–4pm
Location: D.I.Y. space in the exhibition
Participation fee: 6 euros, with glitter fan ticket: free of charge
Registration required at tickets.mkg-hamburg.de
Doing Glitter with Laura Schröder
Saturday, 5 April 2025, 12 pm–4 pm
Location: D.I.Y. space in the exhibition
Participation fee: 6 euros, with glitter fan ticket: free of charge
Registration required at tickets.mkg-hamburg.de
Doing Glitter with Fleur Stiels (Holy Glitter Zine)
Saturday, 7 June 2025, 1pm–4pm
Location: D.I.Y. space in the exhibition
Participation fee: 6 euros, with glitter fan ticket: free of charge
Registration required at tickets.mkg-hamburg.de
Exhibition tour
After the presentation at the MK&G, the exhibition will travel to the Kunstgewerbemuseum Winterthur, where it will be on display from 27 November 2025 to 17 May 2026.
WHEN?
Exhibition dates: Friday, February 28 to Sunday, October 26, 2025
Opening hours:
Mon: closed
Tue – Sun: 10 am – 6 pm
Thu: 10 am – 9 pm
WHERE?
Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe Hamburg
Steintorplatz
20099 Hamburg
COST?
Regular: 14 EUR
Reduced: 8 EUR
Groups (from 10 persons): 10 EUR
Under 18 years: free admission
Thursdays from 6 pm: 8 EUR
First Thursday of the month from 6 p.m. (except 1.5.25, Labor Day): free admission
