Tasteful uses of glitter in art

December 15, 2019 4:49 PM

I love glitter, but you don't often see it in fine art because, well, it's glitter. Can you think of any fine art (paintings, sculpture, etc?) that uses glitter well enough to elevate it? More picky-picky within.

I'm only talking about glitter, not any other shiny thing.

And I know I've seen pretty decor (like candles with pretty glitter designs) and fashion, but I'm only concerned with pure visual art.

Finally, I've come across plenty of pieces that are just "look, it's a shoe all covered in glitter" or "look, it's a rotary phone all covered in glitter." So I'm not looking for more of those.

posted by mermaidcafe to Media & Arts (8 answers total)

Oh my goodness, Mickalene Thomas does amazing stuff with glitter. Her works are huge, and I think the sparkly stuff may actually be crystals rather than glitter, but it definitely intentionally evokes glitter, and she is definitely making a statement that the things women (and specifically black women) do with "craft supplies" are the stuff of high art.
posted by ArbitraryAndCapricious at 5:06 PM on December 15, 2019 [17 favorites]

I went to art school with a girl who used individual glitter bits as though they were mosaic tiles on the tiniest scale you can imagine. It was amazing. She has since moved on to other artistic pursuits and I regret I do not have any photos.
posted by fancyoats at 5:06 PM on December 15, 2019 [4 favorites]

5 artists using glitter to create dazzling and complex artworks
posted by ohkay at 5:32 PM on December 15, 2019 [4 favorites]

I also went to art school with people who did stuff with glitter, I forget their names now but it wasn't uncommon. If you want a more 'household name' artist, Damien Hirst and Yayoi Kusama did some glitter stuff. Or if you want overtly political artists, both Howardena Pindell and Wangechi Mutu used it as part of mixed-media/collage. Wangechi Mutu also wrote an article called "Eat My Glitter" but I haven't read it.

Or you can just search on Artsy for "glitter" and browse around there. I'd buy this. or this.
posted by 100kb at 5:44 PM on December 15, 2019 [1 favorite]

Glitter at the Met (their online catalog has others, but I think the "picky-picky" excludes them):

My Strength Lies, 2006, Wangechi Mutu https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/821017

Pirate Jenny, 2012, Carrie Moyer
https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/786261
Images: https://tang.skidmore.edu/exhibitions/54-opener-24-br-carrie-moyer-pirate-jenny

Petunias and Salvia, 1988, Robert Kushner
https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/632960
Image of painting

Glitter at MoMA

Lydia Benglis used glitter in her sculpture work (1970s).
In her Knot Series (pics at bottom). Though a lot of the pieces fall under the "look, it's a ___ covered in glitter." (Eg Lagniappe)
posted by neda at 5:57 PM on December 15, 2019 [1 favorite]

Apparently Guernica is covered with ground glass to give the bright sections a really brilliant appearance.
posted by stinker at 3:54 AM on December 16, 2019 [1 favorite]

Grandma Moses (not "fine" art, but certainly pictorial art that has been widely respected) used glitter in her snow scenes. It was criticized, and she said that the critics had clearly never seen freshly fallen snow in the north. There are several nice paintings of hers with glitter at the Bennington Museum in Vermont, USA, with glitter, if you ever have a chance to stop in. It's a fun museum otherwise, too!
posted by ldthomps at 2:48 PM on December 16, 2019

Haitian Voodoo art has some really lovely works that are extra sparkly, soulful and stunning. A lot of African artists like el anatsui can take very rough materials and make really glorious works. Recommend.
posted by effluvia at 4:51 PM on December 17, 2019