Museum of Brands shows Glass Renewed exhibition

Contemporary artworks by internationally recognised, award-winning glass artist Hannah Gibson will be shown alongside outstanding glass objects from the Robert Opie collection at the Museum of Brands in London this summer.

Opening on 30 May 2025, the ‘Glass Renewed’ exhibition brings together Hannah Gibson’s ‘Recycling Narratives: Whispering Sweet Nothings’ series, exhibited for the first time in its entirety, with pieces from the Robert Opie collection, such as an ancient glass vessel, Victorian Codd bottles and a contemporary rarity: an exclusive limited edition Johnnie Walker Blue Label Ultra.

Robert Opie is a consumer historian who founded the museum in 1984, when it was originally located in Gloucester. As the collection expanded, the museum relocated to Notting Hill in London.

Glass Renewed will explore the materiality and sustainability of glass, delving into the history of glass making, the beauty of glass, and the future of its production.

‘Recycling Narratives: Whispering Sweet Nothings’ explores materiality, sustainability, and the hidden narratives within everyday objects. Central to Hannah’s practice is the innovative use of recycled glass and found materials – from television screens and Jägermeister bottles to car windscreens. While the form of the glass is transformed, she strives to retain and honour as much of the original material as possible, allowing its past life to remain present in the final work.

Glass Renewed will also feature information and samples from sustainability studies in glass bottle manufacturing, currently undertaken by global drinks company, Diageo.  Many of the themes in the artwork resonate with the Museum’s Sustainability workshop.

Hannah Gibson commented, “Exhibiting at the Museum of Brands is an absolute joy and an incredible honour! It is a magical oasis of pure delight and holds a very special place in my heart. I can barely contain my excitement – this is truly a dream come true!”

Alice Kain, Museum of Brands’ curator, stated, “We are thrilled to show Hannah Gibson’s artwork here at the Museum of Brands. Hannah’s work resonates with the collection, telling stories with iconic brands that make our visitors see the world around them in new ways. Hannah’s work reveals the process of glassmaking and aligns beautifully with the sustainability and consumer history workshops the museum offers. This exhibition will provide our visitors with a visual delight; showcasing Hannah’s stunning artworks alongside never-before-seen glass from the Robert Opie Collection.”

The Glass Renewed exhibition is on from 30 May-17 August 2025.

The Museum of Brands is at 111-117 Lancaster Road, Notting Hill, London W11 1QT. Opening times: Monday-Saturday 10am-5pm. Closed on Sundays. Find out more via the website.

Find out more about Hannah Gibson’s glass art via this CGS interview and via her website.

Image: ‘The Recycling Narratives: Whispering Sweet Nothings’ series made by Hannah Gibson features figures made from all sorts of recycled glass. Photo courtesy of Museum of Brands.