In order to give yourself proper credit for your art, it should have an object label next to it—wherever it's shown, in person or online.
The only wrong way to do this is to not do it at all. I suggest you standardize your format so that it's easy to use every time.
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]]>Approach the making of the wall labels you place next to your artwork with thoughtfulness and common sense.
The Basics for Exhibition Labels Next to Your Art
Many art exhibitions open with a statement by the curator or artist. Those longer labels give context to what the viewer is about to see and are placed at the entry to the show.
Then there are individual labels next to each artwork.
Your art labels should include your name, object title, and media/support/technique—at a minimum.
A retrospective of your work should also include the dates.
In a one-person exhibition, your name need not be as prominent on labels and you might, instead, make the title larger and put it before your name.
When showing with other people, distinguishing between artists is more important and names should be first.
If there are multiple rooms in the exhibition and your show’s title text doesn’t appear anywhere near your works, you might need your name on every label.
If your work is hanging at a restaurant where a customer could stare at it for longer periods of time, your name should be on every label.
If the exhibit is small or in a single room and there’s a large sign with your name on it, you probably don’t need your name on every label.
Size of Wall Labels for Your Art
The size of your labels depends on the size of the art, the size of the font you use, and the size of the crowd expected. Museums that expect huge crowds for blockbuster shows need larger labels so they can be read from farther away and over other people’s heads.
But large labels tend to look silly next to small works, like Margaret Kasahara’s in the image above. I love love love Margaret’s work, but the labels seem to be as important as the work.
Labels used to be a lot smaller—think business-card-sized—until studies showed that they were hard to read. Make the font size at least 14 points. Larger is better when you want the majority of your audience to be able to read the labels.
No need for large margins around the text on a label. Crop it closely.
You can include more than one artwork on a label (as in the image to the right) as long as viewers can discern which information belongs with which piece.
1 Art Label, 3 Ways
Traditionally, titles of artworks are italicized. You could, instead, make them bold, all caps or larger than the other text. Distinguishing the titles is especially important if they give clues about the content of your work, such as the location of a landscape.
“Mixed media” isn’t a medium. Using it is like saying something is a “painting” instead of “oil on linen” or “sculpture” instead of “bronze.” Spell out the various media you use within each mixed-media artwork. A curator is going to ask you that later anyway, so you might as well start treating your art like it’s in a museum now.
If the work is for sale, show the sale price on the label next to the art.
Labels can be printed on cardstock and stuck on the wall with rolled masking tape or something like Elmer’s Tack removable adhesive putty. I don’t recommend using the latter on textured walls because the adhesive gets caught in between the bumps.
For a more polished presentation print labels on regular paper, adhere the paper to mat board with spray glue, then cut out with a mat cutter.
Labels within an exhibition should all be the same size unless there is need for longer, explanatory text.
Place object labels to the right if at all possible. Large sculpture may require that you place a label on the nearest wall or floor.
Hang all labels at the same height and use a level to make sure they are parallel to the floor.
Art Label Cheat Sheet
- Viewers must be able to see your name when looking at your work.
- People shouldn’t have to guess what your work is made of.
- The price, if for sale, should be clear.
- Exhibition labels should be thoughtfully made. Any crooked sides or torn edges will detract from an appreciation of your work.
- Above all, the labels should be consistent throughout the exhibition.
Your Art Exhibition Installation
Compose your art show just as you would a composition. Each aspect can contribute to the success of the show or make it seem less than impressive.
It begins with curating the work, but there is so much more that goes into a successful exhibition: preparation, installation, documentation, marketing, self-promotion, follow-up and more.
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]]>You teach people how to treat you and your art. Make sure you’re sending the right signals.
Here are 16 things to consider.
Making and Preparing Art
1. Use the highest quality materials you can afford. It would be humiliating for your art to start falling apart after it’s purchased.
2. Select frames that complement your work and are well made.
3. See that your mats are cut meticulously. Nothing ruins a good image like a sloppily cut mat.
4. Ensure that all 2-D art rests flat against the wall. It shouldn’t bow, droop, or buckle.
5. Sign your art. It doesn’t matter how you sign it or where, but sign it. Signing art says, “This is complete, and I made it.”
Handling Art
6. Don’t schlep your art around in supermarket bags. Use portfolios and beautiful boxes.
7. Use the right amount of packing material to ensure that the work will arrive safely.
8. Insure your work and studio appropriately. Home insurance rarely covers business mishaps.
Exhibiting Art
9. Let people see the art! Your work should be well lit wherever it is on exhibit. Look out for hot spots, glare, and shadows.
10. Create uniform wall labels that are carefully cut and stay snugly on the wall. Wonky labels that appear to be an afterthought can ruin an otherwise solid installation.
11. Use museum-quality hanging and installation devices.
Documenting Art
12. Document all of your art with high-quality photographs. They should be as good or better than the art because they represent the work and if you do your marketing right, you will sell art from JPEGs.
13. Keep your inventory database up to date, noting details such as size, specific materials, and exhibition record of each piece.
14. Maintain a price list. It’s unprofessional to make up prices on the fly.
Interpreting Art
15. Talk about your work with respect. Develop the language to speak intelligently and confidently about it.
16. Don’t ever apologize for your art or leave anyone to believe that you are less than an artist.
What else would you add to this list? Leave a comment and share your experience.
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]]>I recently attended a talk with Rebecca diDomenico, who was discussing her installation — a cave structure titled Pellucid.
Pellucid was built in her large living room over the course of a year, but she didn’t think much about how she was going to get it out of her home and into the museum.
She said: You find a way.
It wasn’t the first time she had worked on such a large scale.
When she realized that the component umbrellas for an installation were too big to put in her car, diDomenico organized an umbrella walk through Boulder to deliver them to the Boulder Museum of Contemporary art.
The umbrella installation was no longer just a sculpture. It was a performance piece that united members of a community.
Are you holding back and hanging on to small ideas?
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]]>On the other hand, the general public loves and needs the text. They love to read the background of the artist and artwork and they need the text to become better educated.
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Here are some quick guidelines for your exhibit labels.
- Use good paper.
- Select a plain, readable font.
- Be consistent with your format for name, title, medium, date, and price.
- Make text at least 14 point if you want them to be readable by all.
- Place labels all at the same height around the room.
- Make labels the exact same color as the wall color if possible. You want your work–not the labels–to stand out when people are scanning the room for the first time.
- If your labels will be up for a while, use a spray glue to mount them to mat board. If the paper is a different color, use a reverse bevel cut with your cutter to cut them out. The reverse cut eliminates distracting white lines around the outside of the finished label.
- Add extra text–stories that illuminate your work and help you connect with viewers.
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