Commissioned by the National Trust, Beyond Glitter and Feathers is a powerful exhibition celebrating the life, artistry, and advocacy of Garry Jones, an artist, designer, and prominent voice for LGBTQ+ rights and HIV awareness in Birmingham.
Hosted at the Birmingham Back to Backs, one of the city’s most intimate heritage spaces, the exhibition tells Garry’s story through his vibrant costumes, artwork, and deeply personal reflections. It explores his creative journey from theatre design student in the 1990s to founder of the Birmingham AIDS and HIV Memorial, tracing how art, identity, and activism became inseparable parts of his life.
The exhibition’s title, Beyond Glitter and Feathers, reflects both the surface glamour of Pride and the resilience beneath it, a celebration not only of performance and costume, but of community, history, and courage.
Our role was to support the National Trust in bringing this story to life through an exhibition design that was authentic, inclusive, and emotionally engaging. The project needed to balance spectacle and sincerity honouring Garry’s flamboyant visual style while providing the sensitivity required for themes of illness, identity, and activism.
Situated in the heart of Birmingham’s Gay Village, the exhibition also formed part of the city’s ongoing dialogue around representation and visibility. It invited visitors to engage with the legacy of Pride, not just as a celebration, but as a space for empathy, education, and solidarity.
We began by studying Garry’s body of work from elaborate Pride costumes and handmade props to more introspective mixed-media pieces exploring his HIV diagnosis and personal history. Our goal was to translate his creative spirit into a spatial experience that mirrored his artistic process: bold, layered, and unapologetically human.
Using 3D modelling and visualisation tools, we mapped the Back to Backs exhibition room in precise detail. This allowed us to prototype layouts digitally, experimenting with how visitors would move through the space and encounter each piece. The renders helped the National Trust team and Garry himself visualise how his work would be displayed, particularly the interplay between large, dramatic costume forms and smaller, more delicate artworks.
Interpretive panels were designed to blend storytelling and context without overwhelming the visual experience. Garry’s quotes, anecdotes, and community insights were integrated throughout the space, guiding visitors through a narrative that was both personal and universal. Typography and colour choices were grounded in the aesthetics of Pride to maintain consistency with Garry’s creative identity.
The 3D visualisation process once again became essential in aligning all collaborators: curators, exhibition technicians, and community contributors. Every design element, from display plinths to wall graphics, was reviewed digitally before physical installation began. This ensured the exhibition could be built efficiently within the conservation requirements of the Back to Backs, a Grade II listed property with limited space and infrastructure for large installations.
Beyond Glitter and Feathers opened to wide acclaim from both visitors and the local community. Audiences described it as “moving,” “inspiring,” and “visually stunning” a testament to how the exhibition successfully bridged personal narrative, cultural history, and artistic expression.
The design achieved a delicate balance between celebration and contemplation. Visitors were invited not only to admire the craftsmanship of Garry’s costumes but also to engage with the stories behind them of activism, resilience, and acceptance. The spatial design encouraged slow, thoughtful exploration, while the lighting and layout enhanced the emotional rhythm of the exhibition.
For the National Trust, the project represented a continuation of its commitment to amplifying underrepresented voices and stories. The exhibition demonstrated how heritage spaces can evolve beyond traditional narratives, using contemporary design to engage new audiences and foster inclusivity.
For us, the project reinforced the power of design as a storytelling medium, one that can hold both joy and vulnerability in the same space. Through careful spatial composition, digital planning, and an empathetic creative approach, we helped transform Garry Jones’s art into an immersive experience that celebrated not only his journey but the broader spirit of Birmingham’s LGBTQ+ community.
Check out the press release here:
Exhibition - Beyond Glitter and Feathers
