Framing It!

Many factors must be weighed when exhibiting a work of art, from framing to installation to critical contextualization. A clumsy frame can transform a masterpiece into a visual offense while an elegant one can elevate an average picture into a showstopper. A colored wall can compete or accent a work’s formal composition while a white wall can let the work project stronger or fall in upon itself. All of these visual details can become lost if historical context is not provided, but too much may overwhelm the piece. An artist creates the work, but then must trust future owners and exhibitors to display it at its best. In their turn, private collectors, dealers, and museum curators all add their artistic flourish when it comes to frame a piece: matte or float? Color or neutral? Period or aesthetically simpatico frame? This exhibition examines the different considerations that go into displaying an artwork and how it affects perception of the piece from meaning to value.

Credit: Exhibition overview from museum website