In this vibrant exhibition, leading contemporary artist Gerwyn Davies presents a striking series of photographic portraits that explore identity, transformation and visibility. The portraits feature trans and gender diverse young people from Open Doors Youth Service, each pictured in handcrafted sculptural costumes co-created with the artist. These wearable artworks allow their wearers to represent themselves in spectacular ways, while also retaining their anonymity.
The striking portraits were developed through a series of workshops during Gerwyn’s residency at Museum of Brisbane, where 12 participants worked closely with the artist to design and build their own transformative costumes. The final images playfully and powerfully renegotiate the terms of trans and gender diverse visibility, as each subject appears before the camera un/seen. The resulting exhibition is presented in the Fairfax Gallery at the heart of the Museum, providing voice to the participants and the wider LGBTQIASB+ community.
This residency project is presented as part of Brisbane Powerhouse’s Melt Festival, a city-wide event that aims to foster inclusivity, provoke thought and celebrate LGBTQIASB+ communities and artists throughout Brisbane.
MoB’s Artist in Residence program is supported by Tim Fairfax AC.
Presented by Museum of Brisbane in partnership with MELT Festival, Brisbane Powerhouse and Open Doors Youth Service.
Gerwyn Davies is a queer artist working across photography, costume, textiles and video, while living and working on both Gadigal and Yuin Country of Sydney and the South Coast of NSW. Gerwyn is an Associate Lecturer at the University of New South Wales (Art and Design) where he completed a PhD exploring camp aesthetics, photographic self-representation and the political potentials of queer in/visibility.
Prior to this, Gerwyn completed a Bachelor of Photography (1st Class Hons) at the Queensland College of Art and has worked as a member of academic staff at Griffith University and the National Art School Sydney.
Gerwyn was awarded the Olive Cotton Award and the Clayton Utz Art Award, and has been a finalist in the National Photographic Portrait Prize, the Sunshine Coast Art Prize, the Josephine Ulrick and Win Schubert Photography Award, the Alice Springs Art Prize, the Bowness Prize and the Brisbane Portrait Prize.
Gerwyn’s works are held in public collections including Museums of History NSW, Tweed Regional Gallery, HoTA, Ipswich Art Gallery, City of Sydney, Artbank, Museum of Brisbane, Redlands Art Gallery, Rockhampton Art Gallery and Bundaberg Regional Art Gallery.
Gerwyn is represented by Jan Murphy Gallery Brisbane and Michael Reid Galleries Sydney/Berlin.
Welcome to Shimmer, an exhibition that celebrates self-expression, resilience and the power of chosen visibility.
These works were created by 12 trans and gender diverse young people from Open Doors Youth Service (a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to supporting LGBTQIASB+ young people) alongside Artist in Residence, Gerwyn Davies.
From 22 October to 9 November 2025, Shimmer will expand beyond the Museum in an extraordinary city-wide exhibition. Find out more here.
Isaak (she/her)
19 years old
Magandjin (Brisbane) and Dalby
Ace (he/they)
14 years old
Magandjin (Brisbane)
Min (they/them)
13 years old
Magandjin (Brisbane)
Joan (she/her)
13 years old
Magandjin (Brisbane)
Harper (they/them)
13 years old
Magandjin (Brisbane)
Anonymous (he/him)
20 years old
Magandjin (Brisbane)
Rowan (he/they)
18 years old
Gubbi Gubbi/Kabbi Kabbi Country (Gympie)
Floating with the Current
Iris (she/her)
20 years old
Magandjin (Brisbane)
Ellie (she/her)
13 years old
Yuwi Country (Mackay)
Beautiful Blossoming
Mae (they/them)
Magandjin (Brisbane)
