[alt-photo] Re: bottom-weighting mats

[Tomas Sobota]

Hi Diana,

Yes, the situation you describe is precisely what I was thinking of. We
keep talking of different paper textures, surface sheen,
three-dimensionality of carbon prints ... and then cover everything with a
glass to insure that during the exhibition all these attributes pass
unnoticed to visitors.

Glass has its virtues, to be sure, for UV (and fly poo) protection when
hanging long time on a wall, but I wonder if for short time exhibiting
purposes it wouldn't be better to leave it out. Your story would seem to
confirm this.

I exhibited glassless and matless prints a couple of times. A bit tricky to
keep them flat, but I'm not an expert in mounting either ...

Tom

On Thu, Dec 1, 2011 at 5:50 PM, Diana Bloomfield <dhbloomfield at bellsouth.net
> wrote:

> Hi Tom,
>
> I had an exhibit, back in March, where everything I had was in some alt
> process, and the gallery owner wanted me to display it all without glass,
> so I did.  He felt that so much of the work is lost through glass, except
> if you use museum glass, I guess, but who can afford that.  Anyway,
> everything was fine-- no problems with damage or anything (though that is
> the risk).  And, honestly, it's the first time that I can ever remember
> where people were, throughout the opening, actually looking at the work,
> and asking me detailed questions about the process I used.  With some alt
> processes, I tend to give the shortened version of any printing method,
> simply because I don't think anybody really wants to hear details (except,
> possibly, a gallery owner)-- but there were so many people who really
> wanted to know specifics and just seemed genuinely interested.  I have to
> believe that having no glass (essentially, no barrier to seeing the work)
> helped tremendously with that.  Not that eliminating glass translated into
> work flying off the walls and innumerable red dots-- it didn't-- but it was
> gratifying to see people seriously looking, rather than just standing
> around with their backs to the work, drinking wine and socializing-- which
> is what I often see at art openings.  So  I was pleasantly surprised.  I'm
> not sure how often I would eliminate glass, but I am always on the lookout
> for ways to print without glass or mats at all, though I do think floating
> frames tend to look good with the kinds of papers we often use.
>
> Anyway . . . sorry-- you directed your question to Laura, I know-- but the
> no-glass option compelled me to comment.
>
> Diana
>
>
> On Dec 1, 2011, at 11:34 AM, Tomas Sobota wrote:
>
>  Laura, what you say about protection is true, but then surely a mat only
>> slightly larger than the print would do?
>> Not to speak of another, only somewhat related, matter: do you have to
>> cover the print with glass in all cases? Some alt prints are far better
>> displayed without glass, same as oil paintings and all techniques where
>> medium texture is important.
>>
>> Tom
>>
>
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