Topic: Unique ways to display prints for show

[lauraburlton]

I am currently saving up all my little lab credit piggie points to buy prints for a show I have coming up with Warren in March for Fotofest and i wanted to get some opinions of how I should display them. In the past I have gone for white matts and black framing, but this time I really wanted to do something different ( plus I hate framing).

Last fotofest when I was part of a group show I had 4 pieces made (approx 20' x 20') and had them mounted on thick foam core and made it so they seemed to float off the wall. This was pretty effective but I think the edges, although black, looked unfinished. Plus I made the mounting mechanism and they were a b!tch to get hung straight ( well so I was told, I did not hang them )

This time I am thinking of either having stuff printed on acetate or metal, printed  in pieces on brushed alluminum  or printed on  wrap around canvas.  I have attached photos to show examples from my lab.

I like the mteal and acetate however I have heard that  stuff scratches easily, but the gallery wraps sometimes do not look as vivid, however i am doing black and white and i usually like them when I see other peoples stuff....opinions,experiences?

[Sorry, image deleted during forum software upgrade. Please re-upload if so inclined.]

[gregor]

Laura - of the examples you have shown us, I prefer the second, fine art metal, simply because it's understated and doesn't get in the way of the photograph.

After reading your post I was reminded of a good looking, but unframed, exhibit of Rinko Kawauchi's work.  Hers are smaller pieces and her mounting technique may or may not work for large format prints.  I'm not sure what she did but it looks like the photos are mounted on some type of board and are offset from the wall just enough to compensate for hanging materials.

here's the link to see the pics. maybe you, or your lab, can figure out what she did...

But again, of the examples you've posted #2 keeps the focus on the photo.

http://pingmag.jp/2006/08/11/10-questions-to-rinko-kawauchi-about-photography/

Good luck with the show !

[Francois]

You could also have the pictures printed on Duratrans and mount them in light boxes...

[gothamtomato]

I think it depends on whether the purpose of the show is to sell the pieces to the public. If so, you'd want to make sure the pieces can be taken home as is to hang at home.

To me, the second and the fourth examples look like they would work that way.

[lauraburlton]

Thanks so much for the feedback!

The light box idea sounds awesome however, my lab does not do that and I have about $400 in credit so far and saving.....Yeah, the goal is to sell pieces so that is why I was wanting to do something very finished looking.

[Andrea.]

There is an exhibition up here on t'island where the digital imagers [B&W] are printed on rag then hung on steel wire from the ceiling/floor so there hang in the air. Very little cost and it looks wonderful. A bit vulnerable though.

[lauraburlton]

That does sound cool