Displaying 3D art
Sandstone pedestal, Niger
The size and type of 3D work varies so much that it is sometimes hard to figure out how to display it. As the artist you will need to do most of the figuring rather than leave all the decisions to the gallery in order to find the best solution.
If your 3D work will hang on the wall, use wire and eye hooks (see Attaching Hangers at the end of the 2D section). Talk to the gallery director ahead of the deadline if your work is unusually heavy or awkwardly shaped for hanging.
For freestanding sculpture and other 3D works some galleries provide pedestals or cases. Often, however, artists need to find or build their own. The same general rules apply as to framing – pedestals shouldn’t distract from the artwork. Here are a few things to consider:
If your 3D work will hang on the wall, use wire and eye hooks (see Attaching Hangers at the end of the 2D section). Talk to the gallery director ahead of the deadline if your work is unusually heavy or awkwardly shaped for hanging.
For freestanding sculpture and other 3D works some galleries provide pedestals or cases. Often, however, artists need to find or build their own. The same general rules apply as to framing – pedestals shouldn’t distract from the artwork. Here are a few things to consider:
- Make them sturdy. Especially at an opening, people can brush or even knock against them.
- They should be clean and without stains or dings. Repaint if necessary. (Commercial galleries often paint walls and pedestals before every new exhibit.)
- Consider the height and dimensions that will best show off the artwork without overwhelming it or seeming precarious.
- If you are showing more than one piece, the pedestals should probably all look the same – same materials, color, general shape and proportion.
Hope and the Visual Arts by Kate Van Dyke is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
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