i’ve been paying a lot more attention to the design of spaces ever since i started using a cane, and it’s so fascinating to read about the design process! i’ve always loved museums and have noticed how the exhibition design has impacted me physically/emotionally, and i can’t wait to read more from you!
As a museologist, I drive my friends crazy when they visit exhibitions with me because I cant help but notice these things about the exhbit design lmao
Brilliant post. Thank you so much for going into so much detail. My major criticism is the "traffic jam" at the beginning of almost every exhibition because of the text panels. I will re-read this article many times. Looking forward to your next one. Best wishes for the Taryn Simon exhibition at the Gugg.
Thank you for this article. I know I’m biased but as an exhibition registrar (or registrar for incoming loans) we do much more than shipping. We handle all the legal loan paperwork, work with the lenders to have objects packed and crated, work with agents & carriers to arrange the shipping, & make sure the exhibition is insured, with commercial insurance or through government grants. We make courier arrangements (flights, hotel, per diems, appointments), too. Where I work I’m also responsible for putting together the installation & deinstallation schedules. We write grants for the government insurance, apply for Immunity from Seizure for overseas loans, or for Cites permits. We screen crates for IEDs before they travel on passenger aircraft as part of a TSA program. We also devise budgets for all the above and catalog temporary loans in our database. We even end up doing condition reports on world of art occasionally. I often tell people if you don’t want a career as a curator but want to work in a museum with objects, registration is a good career path.
Oh wow!! Thank you so much for this! I absolutely hated to summarize everyone’s roles because I know they are so expansive and every department wears so many hats! I really think registrars are the unsung heroes of museums and I definitely want to do a deep dive in the future! You might be getting a DM from me soon 👀
Yes the job can vary from museum to museum, so it’s difficult to summarize. And the outgoing loans registrar has entirely different responsibilities. I think it’s an overlooked role by people starting out in the arts, who only hear about “curators” or “conservators” and not so much about art handlers, registrars, collections management, database management, etc.
I love how comprehensive, yet simple this inventory is. Thank you! I often reflect on exhibition design as a visitor, but I honestly never thought I would learn about the effort and planning that goes into it.
A few years ago, I'd come across a job posting doing essentially what you do, and I've been fascinated ever since. I didn't apply - logistics reasons, mainly. But it struck me as a job full of interesting puzzles.
I have a design and construction background, so I DO notice these things - loved seeing the graphic on all the departments involved. I love it when the greater team gets credit, too! It's such a collaborative effort.
I went to an exhibition opening a few months ago and, since it had a white floor and the street outside was so dusty, a visible track built up between the pieces in the gallery and it occurred to me that everybody had instinctively followed the same path around the rooms, despite the fact that there were so many 'alternative' routes they could have taken. Delightful to learn that it isn't a magical guiding force (lol), but a concerted effort from somebody who has thought it through with such attention!!
This was fascinating. And I went off on a side rabbithole about that Matisse exhibit which was great fun.
As a textile artist a great deal of my art is meant to be hung from the ceiling or from some sort of hook from a wall. There are some traditional quilting ways to hang a quilt, but I am curious what is the best way to hang something from the ceiling or to prepare a piece to make it easier for a future exhibition designer. (This is me being incredibly hopeful about my future but a gal can dream ;) ) Or, the more likely situation: for me to hang something without harming it. Sometimes the pieces are very lightweight or may be layered or 3 dimensional.
Thank you so much for the comment! As for the hardware - I feel like a mountmaker or art handler may have a better answer than me. In regards to the exhibition design, I would just recommend considering (aesthetically) what hardware you would like your work to hang from the ceiling/wall. I would also recommend looking at how other textile works are being hung, and doing a lot of tests on either prototypes or spare fabric you may have around your studio. :)
Thank you so much for your response. You’re making me pay attention to this in bigger ways than I was and I appreciate that.
I have lots of fabric hanging around and tests are a great idea! There are certainly people already figuring this out and you’re right I need to do a study of this.
My favorite experiences from undergrad all were related to designing our exhibitions. Getting to think over and plan every detail, from how the pieces spoke with each other to how the viewers would be guided around the show, was some of my favorite things to do. I really want to work in a gallery setting to get to do it again but can't find a good place to get started. Any tips for someone interested in starting a career in exhibition design?
By the way you speak about it, it sounds like you are well on your way. :) I have been getting a lot of questions about how I got my start in exhibition design - stay tuned for something soon.
I'm glad to see more attention paid to the physical limitations of some museum guests. I know the museum wants to have a circulation pattern that helps guide visitors along and doesn't need spaces where people may just decide to "lounge" for long periods of time, but many guests need to sit and rest at intervals in their viewing experience to be able to more thoroughly experience the displays. (Thinking of us in the "Boomer" generation!) Brenda Henderson
Absolutely!!! This was a huge consideration for Carol Bove when designing her current show at the Guggenheim. Together we developed four lounges that are ultra comfy.. people have been lounging (and sometimes napping!) and I think it’s really made for such a great show!
I just came across your substack and this post has me completely hooked!
As someone who knew absolutely nothing about this subject, but just appreciates art/exhibitions and learning about it, this post was incredibly informative and accessible.
And the way you talk about all the different aspects, and people, involved with such love and appreciation was a delight to read.
One thing I would love to know more about is the waste management aspect. You mentioned how walls, object mounts, platforms, etc. may be created specifically for each exhibition - I’m just wondering what that process then looks like once an exhibition has concluded? Cause I’m thinking that there would be a lot of waste, since things will be specifically tailored to each art piece/exhibition. Or am I imagining waste where there is none/not much of?
Thank you for this comment! ☺️ Waste is such a huge and important topic, and one that is rising in importance when designing a show. Unfortunately there is a lot of waste, but we’re constantly trying to find new ways to reduce it. I can definitely dedicate a post on this in the future :)
I see! Glad to hear it’s a becoming an increasingly important issue to address. Yeah I definitely think a post on this would be super interesting - look forward to reading it when you get a chance to write it! Thanks so much for this!
I used to work in a museum in the Philippines, also doing and helping out on exhibition design (among many other things). Reading this piece took me back to the best parts of that job. 🥲 I think there’s still magic, especially when everyone comes together to bring an exhibition come to life. Or watching a blank space get filled with objects through a week.
A difference that I’d like to note is that in some museums, especially in the smaller ones, some of the people wear multiple hats at the same time. For instance, I was doing research for curation, but I also did art handling and registrar work. So sometimes there’s isn’t just one specialist in an aspect of building an exhibition, but someone who knows where to place an object and how to light it and they would also write the object label.
I love the passion and excitement about exhibition design that you brought out in this piece, and I look forward to reading more! This is probably too niche, but I’d love to know your thoughts on the heights for mounting works for optimal viewing (in my previous work, ours was 180 cm), especially since you work around the architecture of Guggenheim.
Hi Lea!! Omg I’m kicking myself that I didn’t mention how smaller galleries employee have to wear several hats! I’ve only worked at large museums so I’m not so familiar with smaller gallery processes but maybe there’s a future post in there 👀
And is it crazy that I’ve been waiting for someone to ask about hang heights?! I would LOVE to talk about this further.
Thank you so much for your comment and I’m so happy this post could bring back some good memories ☺️
Such an interesting piece — the thought that goes into presenting an exhibition is enriching to understand. I love exhibitions at museums and recently visited the Tracey Emin exhibition at the Tate Modern in London, with my sister, and the curation clearly did its work: we both left with a much richer understanding of My Bed than we’d arrived with, and a real appreciation of her as a painter too, which her more provocative pieces tend to overshadow. When an exhibition is put together this well, it genuinely changes how you see the work. Thank you for pulling back the curtain on that process.
i’ve been paying a lot more attention to the design of spaces ever since i started using a cane, and it’s so fascinating to read about the design process! i’ve always loved museums and have noticed how the exhibition design has impacted me physically/emotionally, and i can’t wait to read more from you!
Ahh it's so lovely to hear that. Accessibility is SO important - art is for all!
As a museologist, I drive my friends crazy when they visit exhibitions with me because I cant help but notice these things about the exhbit design lmao
This was absolutely me taking pictures of the object mounts while with friends at the Brooklyn Museum the day before I posted this hahaha
see, I think you'd be fun to go to exhibits with!
hahaha i love that!
:)
Brilliant post. Thank you so much for going into so much detail. My major criticism is the "traffic jam" at the beginning of almost every exhibition because of the text panels. I will re-read this article many times. Looking forward to your next one. Best wishes for the Taryn Simon exhibition at the Gugg.
The traffic jam at the beginning of a show is sooo real and such a hard problem to solve! Thank you so much for your note :)
Thank you so much for responding. :)
totally agree!
Thank you for this article. I know I’m biased but as an exhibition registrar (or registrar for incoming loans) we do much more than shipping. We handle all the legal loan paperwork, work with the lenders to have objects packed and crated, work with agents & carriers to arrange the shipping, & make sure the exhibition is insured, with commercial insurance or through government grants. We make courier arrangements (flights, hotel, per diems, appointments), too. Where I work I’m also responsible for putting together the installation & deinstallation schedules. We write grants for the government insurance, apply for Immunity from Seizure for overseas loans, or for Cites permits. We screen crates for IEDs before they travel on passenger aircraft as part of a TSA program. We also devise budgets for all the above and catalog temporary loans in our database. We even end up doing condition reports on world of art occasionally. I often tell people if you don’t want a career as a curator but want to work in a museum with objects, registration is a good career path.
Oh wow!! Thank you so much for this! I absolutely hated to summarize everyone’s roles because I know they are so expansive and every department wears so many hats! I really think registrars are the unsung heroes of museums and I definitely want to do a deep dive in the future! You might be getting a DM from me soon 👀
Yes the job can vary from museum to museum, so it’s difficult to summarize. And the outgoing loans registrar has entirely different responsibilities. I think it’s an overlooked role by people starting out in the arts, who only hear about “curators” or “conservators” and not so much about art handlers, registrars, collections management, database management, etc.
I love how comprehensive, yet simple this inventory is. Thank you! I often reflect on exhibition design as a visitor, but I honestly never thought I would learn about the effort and planning that goes into it.
I'm so happy to share!
A few years ago, I'd come across a job posting doing essentially what you do, and I've been fascinated ever since. I didn't apply - logistics reasons, mainly. But it struck me as a job full of interesting puzzles.
I have a design and construction background, so I DO notice these things - loved seeing the graphic on all the departments involved. I love it when the greater team gets credit, too! It's such a collaborative effort.
95% of my job is solving puzzles!!
I'm allll about giving credit where credit is due - it takes a village!
This is fascinating, excited for more!!
I went to an exhibition opening a few months ago and, since it had a white floor and the street outside was so dusty, a visible track built up between the pieces in the gallery and it occurred to me that everybody had instinctively followed the same path around the rooms, despite the fact that there were so many 'alternative' routes they could have taken. Delightful to learn that it isn't a magical guiding force (lol), but a concerted effort from somebody who has thought it through with such attention!!
Hahaha a rare visual cue!
Amazing read for my Sunday ☕️
I’m so happy to have been part of your Sunday ☺️
This was fascinating. And I went off on a side rabbithole about that Matisse exhibit which was great fun.
As a textile artist a great deal of my art is meant to be hung from the ceiling or from some sort of hook from a wall. There are some traditional quilting ways to hang a quilt, but I am curious what is the best way to hang something from the ceiling or to prepare a piece to make it easier for a future exhibition designer. (This is me being incredibly hopeful about my future but a gal can dream ;) ) Or, the more likely situation: for me to hang something without harming it. Sometimes the pieces are very lightweight or may be layered or 3 dimensional.
Thank you! And this article was an education.
Thank you so much for the comment! As for the hardware - I feel like a mountmaker or art handler may have a better answer than me. In regards to the exhibition design, I would just recommend considering (aesthetically) what hardware you would like your work to hang from the ceiling/wall. I would also recommend looking at how other textile works are being hung, and doing a lot of tests on either prototypes or spare fabric you may have around your studio. :)
Thank you so much for your response. You’re making me pay attention to this in bigger ways than I was and I appreciate that.
I have lots of fabric hanging around and tests are a great idea! There are certainly people already figuring this out and you’re right I need to do a study of this.
My favorite experiences from undergrad all were related to designing our exhibitions. Getting to think over and plan every detail, from how the pieces spoke with each other to how the viewers would be guided around the show, was some of my favorite things to do. I really want to work in a gallery setting to get to do it again but can't find a good place to get started. Any tips for someone interested in starting a career in exhibition design?
By the way you speak about it, it sounds like you are well on your way. :) I have been getting a lot of questions about how I got my start in exhibition design - stay tuned for something soon.
I can't wait to read what else you put out!
Awesome to shout out the handlers
There would be no exhibitions without them!
I'm glad to see more attention paid to the physical limitations of some museum guests. I know the museum wants to have a circulation pattern that helps guide visitors along and doesn't need spaces where people may just decide to "lounge" for long periods of time, but many guests need to sit and rest at intervals in their viewing experience to be able to more thoroughly experience the displays. (Thinking of us in the "Boomer" generation!) Brenda Henderson
Absolutely!!! This was a huge consideration for Carol Bove when designing her current show at the Guggenheim. Together we developed four lounges that are ultra comfy.. people have been lounging (and sometimes napping!) and I think it’s really made for such a great show!
I just came across your substack and this post has me completely hooked!
As someone who knew absolutely nothing about this subject, but just appreciates art/exhibitions and learning about it, this post was incredibly informative and accessible.
And the way you talk about all the different aspects, and people, involved with such love and appreciation was a delight to read.
One thing I would love to know more about is the waste management aspect. You mentioned how walls, object mounts, platforms, etc. may be created specifically for each exhibition - I’m just wondering what that process then looks like once an exhibition has concluded? Cause I’m thinking that there would be a lot of waste, since things will be specifically tailored to each art piece/exhibition. Or am I imagining waste where there is none/not much of?
Thank you for this comment! ☺️ Waste is such a huge and important topic, and one that is rising in importance when designing a show. Unfortunately there is a lot of waste, but we’re constantly trying to find new ways to reduce it. I can definitely dedicate a post on this in the future :)
I see! Glad to hear it’s a becoming an increasingly important issue to address. Yeah I definitely think a post on this would be super interesting - look forward to reading it when you get a chance to write it! Thanks so much for this!
I used to work in a museum in the Philippines, also doing and helping out on exhibition design (among many other things). Reading this piece took me back to the best parts of that job. 🥲 I think there’s still magic, especially when everyone comes together to bring an exhibition come to life. Or watching a blank space get filled with objects through a week.
A difference that I’d like to note is that in some museums, especially in the smaller ones, some of the people wear multiple hats at the same time. For instance, I was doing research for curation, but I also did art handling and registrar work. So sometimes there’s isn’t just one specialist in an aspect of building an exhibition, but someone who knows where to place an object and how to light it and they would also write the object label.
I love the passion and excitement about exhibition design that you brought out in this piece, and I look forward to reading more! This is probably too niche, but I’d love to know your thoughts on the heights for mounting works for optimal viewing (in my previous work, ours was 180 cm), especially since you work around the architecture of Guggenheim.
Hi Lea!! Omg I’m kicking myself that I didn’t mention how smaller galleries employee have to wear several hats! I’ve only worked at large museums so I’m not so familiar with smaller gallery processes but maybe there’s a future post in there 👀
And is it crazy that I’ve been waiting for someone to ask about hang heights?! I would LOVE to talk about this further.
Thank you so much for your comment and I’m so happy this post could bring back some good memories ☺️
this piece is so good! Could you do one explaining MASP (São Paulo, Brazil) concept?
I have been WAITING for someone to ask this!
Such an interesting piece — the thought that goes into presenting an exhibition is enriching to understand. I love exhibitions at museums and recently visited the Tracey Emin exhibition at the Tate Modern in London, with my sister, and the curation clearly did its work: we both left with a much richer understanding of My Bed than we’d arrived with, and a real appreciation of her as a painter too, which her more provocative pieces tend to overshadow. When an exhibition is put together this well, it genuinely changes how you see the work. Thank you for pulling back the curtain on that process.
that is the power of a great exhibition! I'm also not so familiar with her painting work - I'll have to check them out!