Bringing Shimmer to Life: Prolab Produces Striking Exhibition Prints for Gerwyn Davies at Museum of Brisbane

Prolab was proud to produce the exhibition prints for Shimmer, the latest body of work by acclaimed Australian contemporary artist Gerwyn Davies, now showing at the Museum of Brisbane until 18 April.

This vibrant and deeply thoughtful exhibition brings together a suite of 12 photographic portraits that explore identity, transformation and visibility. Created during Davies’s Artist in Residence program as part of the citywide LGBTQAI+ Melt Festival, Shimmer presents trans and gender diverse young people from Open Doors Youth Service in handcrafted sculptural costumes co-created with the artist.

The result is visually arresting, emotionally resonant and beautifully installed within the gallery space.

Fine Art Exhibition Printing for a Powerful Contemporary Portrait Series

For this project, Prolab worked with Gerwyn Davies to produce large-scale photographic prints for exhibition display at the Museum of Brisbane. Each portrait features extraordinary colour, sculptural form and strong visual contrast, making print quality absolutely essential to the final presentation.

From luminous pinks and violets through to rich oranges and electric blues, the works in Shimmer rely on precise colour reproduction and sharp photographic detail. Our production process focused on delivering exhibition-quality prints that preserved the energy, texture and tonal depth of each image, while allowing the artist’s vision to remain front and centre.

When producing work for gallery exhibition, every detail matters. Scale, clarity, finish and consistency all play an important role in how the audience experiences the series as a whole. This collection demanded exactly that level of care.

Supporting Artists with High-Quality Exhibition Print Production

At Prolab, we understand that exhibition printing is about more than simply enlarging an image. It is about helping artists present their work with confidence in a professional gallery environment.

For Shimmer, the portraits needed to feel bold, immersive and refined within the Museum of Brisbane space. The final installation achieves that beautifully. Each print holds its own presence on the wall while contributing to the rhythm and cohesion of the full exhibition.

Working on projects like this is always rewarding because we get to support artists in translating strong conceptual work into physical form. In this case, the photographs carry both visual spectacle and cultural significance, and it was a privilege to play a part in that outcome.

An Exhibition About Identity, Visibility and Self-Representation

Reflecting on identity, transformation and visibility, Shimmer showcases 12 photographic portraits of trans and gender diverse young people from Open Doors Youth Service. Each participant worked closely with Gerwyn Davies during a series of residency workshops to design and build their own wearable sculptural costume.

These carefully constructed forms allowed each sitter to represent themselves in dramatic and imaginative ways while also preserving anonymity. The final portraits negotiate the idea of being seen and unseen at the same time, creating an exhibition that feels both playful and powerful.

As Davies explains, the title Shimmer refers not only to the materials used throughout the work, but also to the way these costume constructions allow the young people to take greater control of their own representations.

A Vibrant Museum Installation

Installed at the Museum of Brisbane, Shimmer makes an immediate impact. The portraits sit confidently within the gallery, their vivid colour gradients and striking forms drawing visitors into the space from multiple angles.

Seeing the completed works installed is always one of the most satisfying parts of exhibition production. The museum setting gives the series room to breathe, while the scale of the prints helps amplify the individuality of each portrait.

The finished presentation is a strong example of how expert photographic printing can support contemporary art exhibition outcomes, especially when colour intensity, surface quality and visual consistency are critical.

Prolab’s Passion for Artist and Gallery Print Projects

Prolab is proud to work with artists, curators and galleries across Brisbane and beyond to produce high-quality exhibition prints for public display, commercial interiors and fine art presentations.

Projects like Shimmer highlight the importance of professional print production in contemporary exhibition practice. When artists invest deeply in concept, collaboration and image-making, the print outcome needs to honour that work at every level.

We thank Gerwyn Davies for trusting Prolab with the production of this remarkable exhibition and congratulate everyone involved in bringing Shimmer to life.

Visit Shimmer at Museum of Brisbane

Shimmer by Gerwyn Davies is now open at the Museum of Brisbane and runs until 18 April.

Gerwyn Davies is represented by Michael Reid Sydney + Berlin. For enquiries, please email hughholm@michaelreid.com.au.

Photographs by Katie Bennett.
Image courtesy of Museum of Brisbane.