Presenting Sculptures

How to present abstract or figurative Sculptures

While for many artists creating a sculpture takes a great deal of talent and patience, one aspect that does not come as naturally for many is the process of setting up a presentation. Much consideration must go into this process, particularly when setting up an outdoor art presentation, and there are a great many details to consider. What follows is a brief explanation of the process of setting up a sculpture presentation.

The first decision when setting up a presentation is whether to house it indoors or outdoors.
 

While many larger metal pieces are well suited for outdoor presentation and many smaller pieces clearly designed for indoor presentation, there are a number of pieces that would do well in either setting.

For many artists, the setting of a presentation is an integral aspect of the desired emotion of the collection, and therefore the location and weather must be precisely right for the presentation to go as planned.

 
For example, an artist who has created an abstract sculpture collection with a dark theme might want to host a presentation in the winter, at night, or even on a day when the weather is expected to be overcast or otherwise gloomy. A brighter or more hopeful collection, on the other hand, would likely be better suited for a warmer and sunnier day. While for many the setting of a presentation may seem of little consequence, for many artists it is pivotal to the proper interpretation of the artwork on display.

When preparing a presentation of figurative sculptures or even a presentation of miniatures, the most common considerations are things such as spacing and lighting. While similar parts of a collection may be grouped together by category, it is highly important for artists and galleries to maintain spacing between pieces that is both practical and aesthetically pleasing. By crowding pieces together, it creates difficulty for a viewer to separate out a particular piece. There is also the issue of space when pieces are crowded together during a busy showing. Proper spacing allows viewers to focus on each individual piece, truly taking in the intention and meaning of the piece.

The lighting of a presentation is also very important. Lighting should always be adequate to allow the collection to be viewed and interpreted but not so bright as to overpower the art itself or skew the colors. Lighting is typically dependent on the mood of the piece, and many artists choose to utilize individual lighting for each piece within a presentation when opting to stay indoors rather than hosting an outdoor art presentation.
 

In short, presenting sculpture is much like other forms of art presentation, particularly in that it is primarily determined by the intentions of the artist and the collection. From modern to abstract sculpture, all aspects of presentation are of equal importance and contribute greatly to the impact of the collection. Whether considering lighting, spacing, or outdoor weather, it is entirely true that preparation is the key to presentation.