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. 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. Advance sales for glitter tickets and vouchers have already begun. 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.

Among those represented in the exhibition are: :mentalKLINIK (Belgium / Turkey), 3rzhuobabypink (China), Damali Abrams (USA), Hannah Altman (USA), Pansy St. Battie (USA), Sophia Bizer (Germany), Chila Kumari Singh Burman (UK), Alea Burmester (Germany), Rafa BQueer (Brasil), Marina Carniglia (Argentina), Travis Carr / Glitter Archives (USA), Dean und Dan Caten (Canada), Peggy Chen (Taiwan), Analía Cid (Argentina), T.L. Cowan (Canada), ckdesignedit (USA), María Domínguez Moreno / Doodlelingyou (Spain), Dracula Nails (Hungary), Sarah Drath (Germany), Karl Gadzali und Mohamad Barakat-Götz (Germany), Cao Guimarães und Rivane Neuenschwander (Brasil), Franzischek (Germany), Fuego Nails (UK), Regine Eurydike Hader (Germany), Honeybabyset / Keele Ma’Ilo (Canada), The Huxleys (Australia), Afa/Soppi Isla Berlin (Germany), Bill Kaulitz (Germany / USA), Mercedes Grassi King (Argentina), Quil Lemons (USA), Maria Vanails (Greece), Mirjana Mitrovic (Germany), Nettlen Nails (USA), Pannkks (Spain), Andrés Pérez (Venezuela), Sam Reece / Shitty Craft Club (USA), Ayelén Rodríguez (Argentina), Jenny Schäfer (Germany), Sex Nails (Germany), Molly Soda (USA), Fleur Stiels / Holy Glitter Zine (Netherlands), Reina Takano/Hitomebore (Japan), Thams Does Claws (Germany), Britney Tokyo (USA), Fiona Tretau / The Propcorner (Germany), Lorenzo Triburgo und Sarah Van Dyck (USA), unitas_f3ass (USA), Zaira Vega (Mexico), Gisela Volá (Argentina)

Supported by Kulturstiftung des Bundes (German Federal Cultural Foundation), the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media, the Hapag-Lloyd Foundation and the Hans Brökel Foundation for Science and Culture.