In time for the Level 5 and 6 crit yesterday, I was experimenting with different exhibition layouts – baring the works of Susan Hiller very much in mind whilst working on this. Hiller’s layouts were very inspired by the objects which she was exhibiting, as well as the locations in which they were being exhibited – for instance, Monument takes the physicality of the tiles (pictured) and the status quo of using the “grid” in exhibition spaces, subverts one and echoes the other, whilst From the Freud Museum uses archival boxes and display techniques to ground her work in the museum context and environment.
I was exhibiting my work in the studio space, which has large white walls and echoes the classic “white cube” exhibition space, and I therefore wanted to reflect this in the way that I exhibited. However, I also wanted to reflect the archival nature of my work, and so slightly subvert the “white cube” and “grid” layouts.
My first trial lined all of the works up along their top edge, creating two parallel clean lines, and two parallel disrupted lines. However, something about this layout didn’t sit right with me – it felt uneven and off balance – and I want my work to have an essentially calm and centred feel to it when looked at. It also didn’t take the different aspects of the works into account – all the pieces pictured above were in landscape orientation, which isn’t how all of the works will be.
Therefore, I slightly disrupted the layout – breaking the bottom row and adding one vertical piece into the top row – but again with all of them aligned across the tops of the pages. However, although this worked better from the perspective of taking other page orientations into account, the layout still felt disruptive and off for me – so I decided to change the alignment of the pieces – rather than lining them up along the top edge, I decided to line them up with the centre of the subject – which instantly felt much better and much more one and collected than before. It meant that the two clean lines ran through the centre of the works, rather than the tops, creating a much more harmonious and congruous collection of works.
The above image shows the final layout of work that I showed in the crit – complete with my finished drawing of the Catacol Whitebeam and with all the labels situated correctly. I am much happier with this layout, and I feel that it is one that I will use from now on in my works. The only change I might make would be to the height that I display the works at – as I want them to be accessible to all, and for everyone to be able to access the information that is printed on the labels – and this may not be true for the top row of works. However, this is something that I can work on as I progress with my work and amass a larger portfolio to display. Additionally, I will change the method of mounting – either mounting in frames (although I am starting to feel that this may not be necessary), or using tacks and tape, as this will make the pieces hang much flatter, as well as evoking the archival element even more.
