GLOW UP, GROWN UP! // A PARTICIPATORY INSTALLATION. 

January 5, 2020 - The RISD Museum

So much of our work in the Glitter Goddess Collective + Haus of Glitter Performance Lab is centered around the healing work of play. For our last participatory installation, “UNRAVALLED” at PRONK 2019, we noticed that young people felt empowered to play but few adults stepped in. Maybe they felt like it wasn’t for them; maybe they didn’t want to take up space; maybe they weren’t comfortable pushing their comfort zone. For “GLOW UP, GROWN UP!” we decided to be more intentional with pushing the boundaries between the spectator and the artist. We’re flipping the script to put the creative work in the hands of our empowered young artists and inviting adults to sit in the makeover chair and relinquish control. We view this relationship as an act of social and political disruption, in a culture that often undervalued the voice and autonomy of its children, and we also view this as a rehearsal for revolutionizing the way that we relate to creativity, a much needed practice in a world where we need creative solutions to urgent problems. For co-creators Matt Garza + AM. (Anthony Andrade), who have curated a collection of sparkly glitter costumes over the years, it’s common for friends to come over and play dress up before we go out, before eating dinner, or just because!