Thursday 13th September 2018

Styling a Gallery Wall

Picture 17th century Paris. Young painters are vying for their chance to exhibit their work in a prestigious academic salon. There is fierce competition for prime spots on the wall. The most coveted spot? In the main room, hung centrally on the wall and “on the line,” meaning at eye level for ideal viewing. Works deemed less important are hung toward the very top and bottom of the walls. These French salons are the historical precedent for today’s popular gallery wall installation. To capture the spirit of the salon but bring it into the modern day, here are three great options for styling your own. 1. Level up: one way to bring visual equilibrium to an otherwise chaotic installation is by creating a horizon and hanging works above and below. First, use painters’ tape and make a long line parallel to the floor. A level is your friend here. Arrange the artworks so that nothing touches the tape line; I like to keep the balance a little lighter on top and heavier below the tape. This axis brings a soothing quality to your grouping of frames. 2. Go Organic: Type A people, this one may not be for you. In an organic gallery wall, the artworks seem to be growing into a formation almost like a coral reef. Begin with an “anchor” piece, generally your largest or with most visual impact, and let the arrangement sprawl from there. It’s best to lay out your formation first on the floor and take photos to see if you like the composition - prior to nailing anything into the walls. This is how I arranged the artwork in our family’s play room, and the bright colors and loose array echo the fun spirit of the room. Since this type of arrangement does not have natural borders or an obvious unifying factor, it works best when your artworks take up an entire wall so they don't seem too random. 3. Pick a Uniform: a great eye-catching way to install your gallery wall is by creating a tie between disparate works. This could mean framing works of various scale and style in one color for visual harmony, or choosing a palette like all black and white artworks. Disparate styles and media feel right together when linked by a common thread. Happy styling! Send photos of your gallery wall to hello@jillian-art.com.

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