Practical tips from HALBE-framework for the implementation of an exhibition - Part II
Kirchen, June 14, 2022 - It is the dream of every artist to present his or her works in the context of an exhibition to a wide audience - behind it is a lot of work as well as detailed planning. No matter whether it concerns impressive photographs, unusual lithographs or extravagant paintings - in order to arouse interest with art lovers, it depends on the perfect conversion. In addition to the theme, exhibition location, timing and financing, framing, glass selection, hanging method, viewing distance as well as lettering play an essential role. The integration of extremely small or large or even multi-part pictures requires a great deal of sensitivity. Often additional hanging space is needed to give an exhibition the final touch. HALBE-Rahmen knows which aspects artists have to pay attention to in order to avoid the usual "stumbling blocks".
Image selection - less is more
Regardless of whether an exhibition is planned in an art association, a gallery or a renowned museum - the rooms only form the neutral framework for the planned exhibition. It is up to each artist what kind of exhibition concept he or she develops and if cooperation with a curator is desired.
After the rough pre-selection of the picture motives and/or works of art a detailed exhibition plan must be compiled. Hanging an exhibition too densely overwhelms the viewer and often diminishes the value of the exhibits - therefore "less is more" applies. If one wants to enable a high aesthetic quality, one should possibly trust the experience, the quality consciousness as well as the proven creative abilities of the assigned curator.
Hanging - consideration of design aspects
There are no binding rules for the aesthetic presentation of an exhibition. Each hanging depends on the specific spatial conditions as well as the content or number and size of the artworks. The hanging of the pictures within an exhibition should - if there is nothing to the contrary - follow a uniform scheme. A constant change of hanging principles, such as display, hanging on the upper or lower edge, etc., does not result in a coherent picture. At least within a wall section, better still in each room, a certain principle should be consistently maintained.
The togetherness or diversity of the artworks can be expressed by appropriate spacing. "Colored and black-and-white pictures often do not harmonize with each other, so they should be separated from each other whenever possible," says David Halbe, managing director of HALBE-Rahmen GmbH. "Frame types and passepartout-colours are to be coordinated with each other in a row, grid or block hanging."
XXL formats - isolated set in scene
Portrait format, landscape format as well as square are the most common picture formats, which often correspond to certain standard dimensions. In addition, however, there are extremely small, large, tall, narrow or wide formats - even multi-part pictures are not uncommon.
The hanging of such artworks, whose dimensions differ greatly from all typical exhibition exhibits, is often complicated, as they are difficult to fit harmoniously between the usual picture formats. Direct juxtaposition of contrasting formats should therefore be avoided. Wall surfaces can often be found where such unusual formats can be hung in isolation without detracting from the overall aesthetic appearance of the exhibition
Staircases - additional hanging space with aha effect
Artists rarely lack high-quality pictures. Often, the available exhibition space is insufficient for a "loose" hanging, despite the abandonment of important motifs in favor of higher-quality works. Additional partitions often round out an exhibition. Stairwells are also suitable - provided that there are no safety or conservation concerns. End walls or walls at landings that are accessed by a staircase are ideal for showcasing XXL-sized works of art in portrait format, for example. The staircase itself can be perfectly used for the presentation of a uniformly framed picture series.
Viewing distance - decisive for the right picture height
In private rooms or confined spaces, a picture should always be aligned at the viewer's eye level, i.e. the center of the picture is at a height of 1.55 m for people of average height. In important museums, such as the Pergamon Museum or the Green Vault, you often cannot get closer than two meters to the works of art. The further the viewing distance is, the higher one perceives a picture on the wall due to the unequal visual range of our eye. Indeed, it is necessary to take into account that the viewing angle is smaller in the upper area than in the lower, so people tend to notice radiators, sockets or the texture of the floors rather than the hanging systems or ceiling installations.
In addition, the wall space below or above the pictures should not cause discomfort to the viewer. A hanging that is too high gives the impression that the pictures are floating in the air. If they are hung too low, they seem to sag.
Glass - influence on the aesthetic effect
Visitors always perceive art in the context of the exhibition space, the lighting and the way it is hung. In addition to a first-class staging of the pictures, the choice of glass plays a central role. For public or semi-public functional buildings, it is particularly advisable to use safety glass. It not only protects the picture from possible blunt impacts or blows, but in the event of glass breakage, the glass pane breaks into small pieces without sharp edges, so that damage to the art object as well as injuries to visitors are avoided. However, acrylic glass - usually known as PLEXIGLAS® - can also be used. It has the advantage of being unbreakable and lighter in weight. "For an unclouded view of the picture, anti-reflective museum glass is recommended, which reduces residual reflections in the glass to a minimum," emphasizes David Halbe, managing director of HALBE-Rahmen GmbH.
Labeling - an often underestimated topic
Exhibit labeling can rarely be dispensed with, because visitors need background information on the works of art. Basically, the visual has priority - not the language. Therefore, it is important to find the right balance between the amount of writing for the engagement exhibit and viewer, because no visitor wants to read long texts while standing.
Large blocks of text on wall sections should comprise a maximum of 10 - 15 lines with 50 - 55 keystrokes (including spaces), as Wolfger Pöhlmann writes in the "Handbuch zur Ausstellungspraxis von A-Z". The dimensional limits force you to concentrate on the essentials.
The legibility of the typeface in terms of font type, font color, and line spacing should also be carefully considered. Depending on the viewing distance, the font size should be approximately between 14 and 18 points - write headings semi-bold or 2 points larger. Pure object captions next to a work of art should be concise, i.e. provide information on, for example, the artist's name, title of the painting, place and year of creation, technique, dimensions, and a reference to a possible edition.
The hanging of the pictures within an exhibition should - if there is nothing to the contrary - be done according to a uniform scheme.
The togetherness of artworks can be expressed by appropriate hanging distances and uniform framing.
Nowadays, multi-part paintings are no longer a rarity in an exhibition. Care should be taken to stage them in isolation. (Photo: Daniel and Geo Fuchs)
End walls or walls at landings, to which a staircase leads, are ideal for staging, for example, high-format artworks in XXL format.
"Behind an exhibition is a lot of work as well as a detailed planning. In order to arouse the interest of art lovers, it depends on the perfect implementation," emphasizes David Halbe.
We have compiled these and other high-resolution images for you in the following dropbox - image rights: @HALBE Rahmen:
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/hqmdt7tn5tr7d1q/AAAF-9H2X6d3oT171M0xMsU9a?dl=0
