How to ensure your prints and drawings live prosperous lives.
In the Metropolitan Museum of Art there lies a drawing of a bearded man by an Anonymous Bohemian, dated 1360-80. While not even their oldest example of a work on paper, the drawing is striking in its condition: an untrained eye might even date it to the 1980s. That this drawing, constitutionally delicate by medium, has survived the rise and fall of civilisations is by the grace of developments in conservation and framing.
Violeta Capovska - 'Silence II'
Luke Sciberras - 'Out of town'
You may not have a work from the Middle Ages in your collection, but knowing how to frame, display and care for your works on paper is vital. It’s part of custodianship, key to ensuring the work lives a long and prosperous life.
Alun Leach-Jones - 'Voyager 2, grey'
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The most effective way of caring for works on paper is proper framing. First, opt for a mount which is acid free; you may also invest in a type of UV resistant glass, called Art Glass, to help protect from sun damage. A good framer will frame in a way that is reversible and aerated – they will never stick paper down, always retain a gap between the paper and glass, and ensure no contaminants get sealed in with the work of art.
Reg Mombassa - 'Auckland from Waiheke Is.'
For collectors in the tropical reaches of New South Wales, Queensland and the Northern Territory, the prime risk to works on paper is humidity. In these climates, framing with a vapour barrier (e.g. corflute or aluminum foil) is germane, as is propping frames away from the wall with a carpet stopper thereby allowing air to circulate. For all climates, avoid hanging works on paper in direct sunlight, above active fireplaces, in bathrooms or rambunctious kitchens.
If you have any work of art that needs care through framing or conservation, reach out to see how we can help (hello@artandcollectors.com).
Charles Blackman - 'Nude Kneeling'
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