Place in Space: Curating and Hanging Artworks for Gallery and Home

Have you ever visited a gallery and thought: ‘Mmmm that piece is too high, or too low’? Maybe you thought “That piece is nice, but it has nothing to do with the rest of the work”. People often ask me how I curate and hang a show at Jane St., as well as how to curate artworks for personal homes.  Keep in mind that there is no ‘template’, per se; the following are some suggestions & norms, but you can do what you like. Some decisions are based on instinct; and of course, personal taste. I wouldn’t say it’s ‘tricky’, but there are several elements & moving parts to consider when hanging artworks. The same principals apply for a gallery as in a home.

I’ve been inside the art world all my life, as my parents & grandparents were all artists and art collectors. So let’s go through it. Please note: these points are not in order of importance, but they should all be considered.  In our July article, we explored the big picture — considering the wall, ceiling height, and hanging hardware.  In this second of our 3-part series, we’ll assess the more nebulous elements of light and traffic in the room; then think inside the box: zooming in on the content, color, & medium of the piece(s) you wish to hang. Curious about installation art, sculpture, etc?  Stay tuned – but first we’ll focus on 2D wall-hanging works.

Light

Where is the light source of the room? Is it possible to hang the work in direct sun without damage? How does its appearance change according to the time of day? Does the work need a particular kind of light to “activate” it?  Some pieces benefit from a kind of reflection; others don’t want that at all. Take into consideration: bounced light, direct light, color and intensity of the light. We’ve even had pieces in the gallery that required total darkness: as you enter the space and let your eyes adjust, slowly, the work became visible. All very cool!

Traffic

Think of the way one would enter this room.  What do they see first and last? I think of a gallery as a stationary theater production. A visitor arrives, and from that moment to the moment they leave, it’s an orchestrated experience with varied nuances. Each individual has their own way of going through the space, with many paths laid before them. We don’t tell people to look at the work a particular way, but we have crafted a particular flight pattern, should they choose to take it. We love for people to just feel comfortable and enjoy themselves. When a show is set up correctly, the viewer has an interesting organic experience of the entire space, with each piece of art allowed to speak to the viewer both as itself and as part of a group.

Content, Color, Medium, Etc.

I tend to organize my works by color and how the pieces “talk” to each other — meaning, does one piece play off the other well? I don’t mean to indicate you need to get matchy-matchy though: ugh. No. Just like on the playground, if two pieces possess too many of the same qualities, it’s good to separate them so they don’t have too much weight as a team, and gang up on the other pieces. Two such pieces can also cancel each other out, preventing viewers from seeing the beauty of each independently. This is especially true with a themed group show; and something we try to bear in mind. In this situation, I’m looking for work that ticks the boxes of the theme; but also takes a risk in interpreting that theme. This opens the door to a whole lot of interesting possibilities, pushing me and the viewers to consider the theme in new ways. Sometimes, we receive 4 pieces that are too similar, forcinging us to pick one in that style that fits best with the rest of the show. Size, weight, framing, and price are all potential deciding variables.  All the pieces in the room need to work together as a whole. Especially when hanging photography next to a drawing next to a painting: everyone needs to get along.

Stop by Thurs/Sun 12-5 or Fri/Sat 12-6pm for art openings, classes, and events!   Check out www.janestreetartcenter.com for more info & to join our mailing list for updates – you can also find us on Instagram.