A new exhibition at the Museum of Brisbane is reframing how young people see themselves, pairing art and identity through costume-based portraiture that celebrates queer creativity and self-expression.
A Celebration Of Creativity And Collaboration
Shimmer: An Artist in Residence project by Gerwyn Davies runs from 18 October 2025 to 8 March 2026 at the Museum of Brisbane’s Fairfax Gallery. The show presents vivid photographic portraits co-created with trans and gender-diverse young people from Open Doors Youth Service, marking the organisation’s 25 years of supporting queer youth in Queensland.
Shimmer began during Gerwyn Davies’s residency at the Museum of Brisbane, where young creators turned sequins, fabric, and household items into striking wearable art. Over a week of workshops, the space buzzed with colour, laughter, and invention. Davies photographed each participant in their creation, capturing the joy of self-expression. Rather than directing, he worked beside them, offering help while letting their ideas shine.
Reframing Visibility And Identity
At its heart, Shimmer explores the ideas of visibility, anonymity and control. Each costume conceals the wearer’s face, shifting the viewer’s focus from identity to creativity. By doing so, the portraits challenge traditional ideas of photography, which often seek to reveal rather than protect.
The use of reflective and glittering materials makes the subjects hyper-visible yet unseen, a deliberate choice by Davies to question the power dynamic between subject and viewer. He sees this act of concealment as a way for participants to decide how they are seen, creating a playful but powerful redefinition of portraiture.
The Role Of Open Doors Youth Service
The project was developed in partnership with Open Doors Youth Service, a Queensland-based organisation that has supported LGBTQIA+ young people for 25 years. Through the collaboration, participants found a safe and supportive environment to explore their identities creatively.
Museum of Brisbane staff worked alongside Open Doors to guide the workshops, ensuring the participants’ voices shaped the final exhibition. For many, it was their first time using a sewing machine or contributing to a gallery project. The process built confidence, friendships and new skills while highlighting the value of inclusive public art programs.
An Invitation To The Community
The Museum of Brisbane’s exhibition invites the wider community to experience a world of colour, texture and self-expression. While rooted in queer experience, Shimmer speaks broadly about how people construct identity and claim visibility in a fast-changing world.
Davies hopes the exhibition encourages empathy and conversation, allowing audiences to appreciate both the artistry and the stories behind the images. The Museum describes the project as an exercise in joy and collaboration that reflects the diversity of Brisbane’s creative community.
Published 30-October-2025
