In the weeks leading up to Painting Rules, German artist Peter Zimmermann has been steadily transforming the white walls of The Metropolitan Museum of Manila | The M Museum—one sticker at a time. Working closely with student volunteers, Zimmermann began by selecting thousands of stickers that now form a large-scale mural, installed through a precise and carefully projected pattern.
The process is meticulous and demanding, requiring patience, focus, and an eye for detail. Slowly, color emerges across the space, turning the museum’s blank walls into vibrant fields that echo the artist’s visual language.
Between hours of installation, conversations unfold—snack breaks becoming moments of exchange, where Zimmermann shares insights into his practice, and the volunteers offer perspectives of their own.
Zimmermann’s mural collaborators consist of 10 art students chosen from a field of over a hundred applicants from schools such as the University of the Philippines Diliman, De La Salle College of Saint Benilde, University of San Tomas, Arellano University, University of San Carlos, and Polytechnic University of the Philippines. The execution of the mural over an intense two-week period enables Zimmermann to connect with local youth while offering students the opportunity to take part in an artist-led activity.
“They’re very dedicated,” says Zimmermann. “Without them, I would’ve never achieved this mural. I’m astonished by how they could emphasize what I wanted on the walls, and it’s been a really great experience.”
Painting Rules, being Zimmermann’s first institutional show in the Philippines, takes the opportunity to use stickers that relate to the country’s social climate. Notable examples include a portrait of José Rizal, a raised fist emblazoned with the Philippine flag, and a sign that reads, “Stop flooding us with corruption.” Among others, these stickers line the wall in glitchy and repetitive patterns, serving as the backdrop for his epoxy paintings.
“My paintings have a kind of digital algorithmic background, so the sticker walls give a sort of digital context, almost like pixelated images. Many of the paintings in this exhibition have been previously shown here and abroad, and the stickers are like a fresh staging for these works,”Zimmermann explained.
This evolving mural will be presented alongside a selection of Zimmermann’s oil and epoxy resin paintings when Painting Rules opens to the public on 04 February 2026 at the Metropolitan Museum of Manila.
Visiting days and hours are from Tuesdays to Fridays, 11:00 AM–6:00 PM; Saturdays and Sundays, 10:00 AM–6:00 PM. Walk-ins are welcome to purchase tickets onsite.
In the weeks leading up to Painting Rules, German artist Peter Zimmermann has been steadily transforming the white walls of The Metropolitan Museum of Manila | The M Museum—one sticker at a time. Working closely with student volunteers, Zimmermann began by selecting thousands of stickers that now form a large-scale mural, installed through a precise and carefully projected pattern.
The process is meticulous and demanding, requiring patience, focus, and an eye for detail. Slowly, color emerges across the space, turning the museum’s blank walls into vibrant fields that echo the artist’s visual language.
Between hours of installation, conversations unfold—snack breaks becoming moments of exchange, where Zimmermann shares insights into his practice, and the volunteers offer perspectives of their own.
Zimmermann’s mural collaborators consist of 10 art students chosen from a field of over a hundred applicants from schools such as the University of the Philippines Diliman, De La Salle College of Saint Benilde, University of San Tomas, Arellano University, University of San Carlos, and Polytechnic University of the Philippines. The execution of the mural over an intense two-week period enables Zimmermann to connect with local youth while offering students the opportunity to take part in an artist-led activity.
“They’re very dedicated,” says Zimmermann. “Without them, I would’ve never achieved this mural. I’m astonished by how they could emphasize what I wanted on the walls, and it’s been a really great experience.”
Painting Rules, being Zimmermann’s first institutional show in the Philippines, takes the opportunity to use stickers that relate to the country’s social climate. Notable examples include a portrait of José Rizal, a raised fist emblazoned with the Philippine flag, and a sign that reads, “Stop flooding us with corruption.” Among others, these stickers line the wall in glitchy and repetitive patterns, serving as the backdrop for his epoxy paintings.
“My paintings have a kind of digital algorithmic background, so the sticker walls give a sort of digital context, almost like pixelated images. Many of the paintings in this exhibition have been previously shown here and abroad, and the stickers are like a fresh staging for these works,”Zimmermann explained.
This evolving mural will be presented alongside a selection of Zimmermann’s oil and epoxy resin paintings when Painting Rules opens to the public on 04 February 2026 at the Metropolitan Museum of Manila.
Visiting days and hours are from Tuesdays to Fridays, 11:00 AM–6:00 PM; Saturdays and Sundays, 10:00 AM–6:00 PM. Walk-ins are welcome to purchase tickets onsite.
Share this:
Discover more from Great Travel Philippines
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.