Aside from the allure and beauty of the artwork displayed, part of having a successful exhibit lies in how you hang the art pieces. If you’re able to hang the artwork successfully, you can ensure every visitor will get amused or entertained the moment they step foot into your gallery.
Unfortunately, hanging artwork can be a chore on its own. It’s not as simple as grabbing your hammer and nails and randomly displaying your art pieces and then expecting viewers to automatically be captivated by them. Instead, you have to make sure you’re equipped with the right design tips before starting an art exhibit anywhere. So before renting a gallery space in the place you plan to host an exhibit, like a Miami gallery space, consider these tips when hanging art.
1. Make sure the piece is centered
You wouldn’t want visitors to strain themselves while viewing your artwork display. So for visitors to have a comfortable viewing experience, make sure the artwork is hung by its center and generally within eye level.
To achieve this, measure 57 inches from the floor and place a mark on the wall. Then find the focal point of the art piece. This is done by measuring its height and dividing it by two. So if the frame is around 34 inches, the focal point is 17 inches.
After finding the focal point, measure the distance from the top of the art piece to the hanging wire. Then subtract this from the focal point. So if the hanging wire is around 10 inches from the top, subtract this from 17, and you get 7 inches. This means from the 57-inch mark, add 7 inches above it to measure the spot where the hanger should be placed. In this example, the best spot to hang the artwork is 64 inches from the floor.
2. Have proper lighting
Another critical design tip when hanging artwork is to have proper lighting. You want to use light to emphasize the pieces you’re planning to display, but you shouldn’t put too many light sources in your gallery space. Any unnecessary lighting must be avoided.
To highlight your art pieces, here are the different types of lighting you can apply:
- Picture light: A picture light is mounted on the wall or the frame of an art piece. Its purpose is to bring the light closer to the painting, which creates intimacy, inviting the viewers to come closer to it.
- Ceiling-mounted accent light: Using a ceiling-mounted accent light is considered an ideal way of illuminating an art piece as it directs the light to the work itself. To achieve this effect, the light needs to be properly positioned. It has to hit the artwork’s center when it’s at an angle of 30 degrees.
- Track light: You can use track lighting if you want to achieve a minimalist look. Though it has a minimal effect, it creates a crisp and clean look in the entire space.
3. Consider the wall
Although it’s not part of the artwork itself, the wall plays a significant part in your viewers’ overall exhibit experience. If you have an irregular or small wall, consider filling it with artwork from floor to ceiling. But this doesn’t mean you have to cram the wall with artwork. Instead, fill the space evenly.
On the other hand, if your space has a large wall, you can hang a single piece of art in one section, especially if it’s by a renowned artist or a sought-after one. This will create a focal point, which would entice your viewers’ eyes and allow your visitors to get immersed in the artwork.
4. Go for the salon style
If you have plenty of art pieces to hang, don’t focus on the expensive ones only. You can hang each one of the pieces by applying the salon style—or the method of grouping artwork asymmetrically.
However, if you want to go for this hanging style, it’s best to have a particular theme in mind. The theme can vary and may be based on the overall nature of the space. Although you can display the pieces randomly, you can do so according to style, subject matter, or color palette, for instance. Doing this will make the pieces look cohesive no matter how asymmetrically they’re displayed.
Takeaway
The key to making your art exhibit a success also lies in making sure your art pieces are displayed properly. A well-hung artwork allows viewers to get fully immersed with the art, understand its meaning, and connect to it. If you’re able to achieve this, you can somehow say you’ve succeeded in your purpose for organizing your exhibit.
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