Five Ways to Display Art in an Exhibition

No two art museums are exactly alike. Even institutions that specialize in the same era, artists or culture vary in organization and mission. However, the display of art has been somewhat standardized throughout art history. Of course, there are museums and galleries that go out of their way to defy traditional or expected modes of exhibition in favor of a post-modern approach or to achieve visually striking effects (for either conceptual or purely aesthetic purposes—I think particularly of the rise of instagram-friendly pop-up museums). But, some methods have stood the test of time…and for good reason. Here, I will explore five typical ways in which is art is commonly displayed at museums and galleries. Next time you visit an art space, try to discern the way works are arranged and consider the implications.

1) White Cube

© Dannie Jing

The preeminent model art museums and galleries use to organize their spaces. According to the Tate glossary, the white cube refers to a “certain gallery aesthetic characterized by its square or oblong shape, white walls and a light source usually from the ceiling.” It developed alongside the rise of abstract expressionism and minimalism in the later half of the 20th century. The walls are a clean, flat white. The room is bright and evenly lit. Wall text—if any—is functional. The white cube provides a neutral environment that puts the spotlight on the art. Instead of congregating numerous artworks close together, each work is isolated and given its proper moment. 

2) Salon-style

© Maxim Mitsun

This display refers to groupings of works arranged together upon a wall, including paintings above and below eye level. Artworks may also be ornately framed. Think of the rooms at the Louvre in Paris or the National Gallery in London. This was how artwork was primarily displayed up until the 20th century—originating in the late 1600s at the prestigious annual Paris Salons which presented the year’s most dignified art. Paintings were hung this way simply because it was the only way they would all fit in the space. The paintings higher up on the wall were usually deemed more significant, since they could be more easily seen, even when the room was crowded. Today, this display style is often associated with (but not limited to) neoclassical collections, religious paintings or portrait galleries, capturing a distinguished and ceremonial essence.

3) Archival Display

© Nikitich Viktoriya

When presenting cultural artifacts, artists’ sketches, or contextual documents, you may notice that these are often displayed in a separate manner. For one, they are usually covered by a glass screen or case. Whether intentional or not, this works to emphasize an object’s value and can even evoke a sense of fragility. Also, muted or darker-colored walls may indicate the “historical/cultural context” portion of an art exhibition. For example, Centre Pompidou’s exhibition Le Cubisme displayed 20th-century cubist artworks in a white cube-like setting while moments highlighting historical influences and cultural references were in muted rooms with artifacts including West African masks behind glass screens. There are debates whether this display style is limiting, anachronistic (portraying works in a way that associates them with imprecise or incorrect time periods), or if it even reduces the art of non-Western cultures to the periphery as “supplementary context.”

4) Black Box

© Ekaterina Bykovax

Also known as “black cube,” this display system is most commonly employed for films and video works. It consists of a space with minimal to no lighting, separated by curtains or a door. Sometimes, the black box is used to screen an accompanying documentary to an exhibition. It has also been increasingly used for digital art as well as exhibitions with an emphasis on technology. Artist Gretchen Bender, for example, creates installations made of stacked televisions playing animations, recordings, and simulations, and she utilizes the black box to emphasize her screen images while physically engulfing the viewer into her materialized world. Shows at ARTECHOUSE also come to mind, which often feature immersive installations and light/projection-based projects within a black box space.

5) Site-specific

Anselm Kiefer, The Seven Heavenly Palaces at Fondazione Pirelli HangarBicocca Milano, Image credit: © Claudio Divizia

Some of the most epic, photogenic, interactive (etc.) works are often site-specific, meaning they were created for a particular space and/or moment in time. Many of these works are commissioned by an institution, though much of land art and independently-made public installations fall under this category as well. If the art was displayed anywhere else, its meaning could change or dissolve completely. Olafur Eliasson’s Weather Project at the Tate Modern comes to mind. Or Kara Walker’s A Subtlety at the Domino Sugar Factory. I happen to love site-specific works, and have featured numerous on this site. See my post on Ugo Rondinone’s Seven Magic mountains here. See my post on Mark Bradford’s Pickett’s Charge here.