Rebecca
SGF, Supreme Grumble Framer
From the Conservation Distribution List - good general info that may come in handy for framers:
Metta Humle Jorgensen <mette.humle [at] natmus__dk> writes
>Has anyone used magnets/magnetic for exhibition mounting? If so,
>what is your experience with it?
I am a textiles conservator and I have been using magnets for short
term display of textiles items,as well as 3d objects like baskets
etc. The only concern I have is corrosion from the metal/magnet
which I mitigate with a layer of mylar. On occasion depending on the
strength of the magnet and the material being held would develop
compression marks and another solution needs to be considered or
discs of firm card to spread the surface area and load on the
fibres. This is particularly a concern for felted, flocked or piled
textiles. I am sure it would also be an issue with some hand made
papers or photos which have delicate emulsion layers. I have secured
baskets to mounts with magnets rather than stitching them and also
used magnets to help restore deformed shapes, i.e. inside shoes or
on hanging flags which have needed a little weighting but where I
have not wanted to have that weight permanent for fear of causing
damage. Magnets allow for quick removal of the weight.
I have even used magnets to hold adhesive patches in place until
cured. One memorable repair was done with a patch underwater vinyl
repair, held in place with magnets. The small access would not allow
conventional clamping. Over all I think the use of magnets in
conservation should be embraced. Discuss the varying magnetic
strength with the display designer and make sure you get a variety
of strengths to assist you in preventing compression points.
Victoria Gill
------------------------------
Date: 30 Oct 2008
From: Karen Potje <kpotje [at] cca__qc__ca>
Subject: Magnets for exhibition mounting
Metta Humle Jorgensen <mette.humle [at] natmus__dk> writes
>Has anyone used magnets/magnetic for exhibition mounting? If so,
>what is your experience with it?
At the Canadian Centre for Architecture we have recently started
using magnets to mount artefacts to the back wall of exhibition
cases. Many exhibition designers do not want to frame art on
paper--they feel it looks too precious--so we have been
experimenting with ways to mount unframed objects in exhibition
cases. For the past few shows we've mounted objects on acid free
matboard and then attached the matboard mounts to the wall with 3M
415 double-sided tape. But this was not very satisfactory, since
once placed, the object's position couldn't be changed, and
removing objects from the wall at the end of the show was very risky
to them.
Our conservator, Romain Guedj, designed a method of using magnets
for the show we put up just last week. Because our designer didn't
want the objects to be offset from the wall more than the thickness
of the matboard we prepared all of the matboard mounts with their
magnets *before* attaching the artefacts to them. Each matboard
mount was cut to size (as large as, or just barely larger then, the
artefact). A hole 5cm. in diameter was punched in each corner and,
for larger objects, at wide intervals along the sides. A circle of
mylar attached with double-sided tape closed the top of the hole. A
small rare earth magnet (0.5 cm. diameter, 2 cm. thickness) was
inset into each hole and the hole was closed on the underside, again
with a circle of mylar. The result was a mounting board with
magnets inset into the corners, flush with the surface of the board.
The artefact was then hinged to the prepared mounting board. The
mounted artefact could be easily mounted to the metal wall (or, in
our case, to a sheet of metal which had itself been attached to the
wall.) Some objects were, for aesthetic reasons, shown in mats. The
backboards of the mats had magnets set into them in the same way.
We found installation easy, and were also able to easily dismount
objects as needed.
The largest object we mounted this way measured 72 x 60 cm.
A disadvantage of this system is that we have to inset magnets in
individual mounting boards for each object. That's time consuming.
Hopefully for a future exhibition our designer will accept a
moderate distance or thickness between the artefact and the wall. In
that case we could use your idea--put a little square of with a
magnet attached to it behind each corner of the matboard mount.
The Conservation Department liked this system enough that we've
suggested to our Exhibitions department that they retrofit a small
section of permanent wall vitrines with metal back walls and side
walls.
We found the small magnets strong enough for our purposes. (We had
tested the effectiveness of our small magnets by affixing a matboard
mount with inset magnets to the metal door of our lab. After days
and days of the door opening and closing the test panel didn't
move.)
We are doing tests now with using larger and stronger magnets to
mount book cradles (or shelves). But--the stronger the magnet the
harder it is to detach from the wall. And one of our objectives is
to find an easily dismountable system. I would think that, for
larger paper artefacts mounted on matboard, several small magnets at
each corner would be safer to use than one large one there.
Otherwise you might endanger the artefact in dismounting it.
Karen Potje
for Romain Guedj
Conservator
Canadian Centre for Architecture
------------------------------
Date: 31 Oct 2008
From: Neill McManus <mpc.post [at] gmail__com>
Subject: Magnets for exhibition mounting
Metta Humle Jorgensen <mette.humle [at] natmus__dk> writes
>Has anyone used magnets/magnetic for exhibition mounting? If so,
>what is your experience with it?
Between 2002-2004 I was one of the couriers for the Jewish National
and University Library for a large exhibition of "Einstein" designed
and produced by the American Museum of Natural History, which
traveled the United States to four separate locations over a period
of a year and a half. My institution loaned a large proportion of
the material for the exhibition and was involved at the installation
and deinstallation at each location. The display case design sounds
very similar to yours but in our case the back board angle was not
greater than 35 degrees I think. The items mounted in this manner
were almost entirely single sheet archival material encapsulated in
polyester. They were lassoed around each corner with polyester
straps to mount board cut slightly smaller than the encapsulated
item, the straps were adhered with double sided tape to the back of
the board. 2cm square pieces of self adhesive flexible magnets
(fridge magnet type) were adhered at each corner, generally over the
adhered polyester straps.
The back board of the display cases were a sheet of powder coated
metal (black colour) over which a sheet of heavy coloured paper/card
was placed with the display labels applied on it. The magnetic
attraction could easily be felt through the paper but to ensure a
more secure hold apertures were cut in the back sheet slightly
smaller than the mounted items, this also had the additional benefit
of a speedy installation as the location of each item decided well
in advance and was quick to find on the installation days.
In my experience it worked very well for this type of temporary,
travelling exhibition, mounting was quick and the tight schedules
for installation and deinstallation went smoothly for the large
number of items on display. As there was generally as rotation of
the display items between institutions the back sheets for the cases
could be easily changed and reused without damage. The magnetic
attraction held the items firmly to the metal back board, so firmly
that you had to be careful not to bend the mount board or item when
making slight adjustments to their position in the case. Larger
items, like books were mounted in a more traditional manner in
sunken apertures cut into the metal back board. After the
exhibition, at the four different venues, the cases and the material
were in good condition and to my knowledge continued to be used for
future display.
If you wish for a firmer magnetic hold you could use rare earth
magnets which are allot stronger and thinner and slip them into
pockets on the back of your mount board.
Neill McManus
McManus Paper Conservation
25 Haprachim St.
Rishpon
46915
Israel
+972 9 950 6905
Metta Humle Jorgensen <mette.humle [at] natmus__dk> writes
>Has anyone used magnets/magnetic for exhibition mounting? If so,
>what is your experience with it?
I am a textiles conservator and I have been using magnets for short
term display of textiles items,as well as 3d objects like baskets
etc. The only concern I have is corrosion from the metal/magnet
which I mitigate with a layer of mylar. On occasion depending on the
strength of the magnet and the material being held would develop
compression marks and another solution needs to be considered or
discs of firm card to spread the surface area and load on the
fibres. This is particularly a concern for felted, flocked or piled
textiles. I am sure it would also be an issue with some hand made
papers or photos which have delicate emulsion layers. I have secured
baskets to mounts with magnets rather than stitching them and also
used magnets to help restore deformed shapes, i.e. inside shoes or
on hanging flags which have needed a little weighting but where I
have not wanted to have that weight permanent for fear of causing
damage. Magnets allow for quick removal of the weight.
I have even used magnets to hold adhesive patches in place until
cured. One memorable repair was done with a patch underwater vinyl
repair, held in place with magnets. The small access would not allow
conventional clamping. Over all I think the use of magnets in
conservation should be embraced. Discuss the varying magnetic
strength with the display designer and make sure you get a variety
of strengths to assist you in preventing compression points.
Victoria Gill
------------------------------
Date: 30 Oct 2008
From: Karen Potje <kpotje [at] cca__qc__ca>
Subject: Magnets for exhibition mounting
Metta Humle Jorgensen <mette.humle [at] natmus__dk> writes
>Has anyone used magnets/magnetic for exhibition mounting? If so,
>what is your experience with it?
At the Canadian Centre for Architecture we have recently started
using magnets to mount artefacts to the back wall of exhibition
cases. Many exhibition designers do not want to frame art on
paper--they feel it looks too precious--so we have been
experimenting with ways to mount unframed objects in exhibition
cases. For the past few shows we've mounted objects on acid free
matboard and then attached the matboard mounts to the wall with 3M
415 double-sided tape. But this was not very satisfactory, since
once placed, the object's position couldn't be changed, and
removing objects from the wall at the end of the show was very risky
to them.
Our conservator, Romain Guedj, designed a method of using magnets
for the show we put up just last week. Because our designer didn't
want the objects to be offset from the wall more than the thickness
of the matboard we prepared all of the matboard mounts with their
magnets *before* attaching the artefacts to them. Each matboard
mount was cut to size (as large as, or just barely larger then, the
artefact). A hole 5cm. in diameter was punched in each corner and,
for larger objects, at wide intervals along the sides. A circle of
mylar attached with double-sided tape closed the top of the hole. A
small rare earth magnet (0.5 cm. diameter, 2 cm. thickness) was
inset into each hole and the hole was closed on the underside, again
with a circle of mylar. The result was a mounting board with
magnets inset into the corners, flush with the surface of the board.
The artefact was then hinged to the prepared mounting board. The
mounted artefact could be easily mounted to the metal wall (or, in
our case, to a sheet of metal which had itself been attached to the
wall.) Some objects were, for aesthetic reasons, shown in mats. The
backboards of the mats had magnets set into them in the same way.
We found installation easy, and were also able to easily dismount
objects as needed.
The largest object we mounted this way measured 72 x 60 cm.
A disadvantage of this system is that we have to inset magnets in
individual mounting boards for each object. That's time consuming.
Hopefully for a future exhibition our designer will accept a
moderate distance or thickness between the artefact and the wall. In
that case we could use your idea--put a little square of with a
magnet attached to it behind each corner of the matboard mount.
The Conservation Department liked this system enough that we've
suggested to our Exhibitions department that they retrofit a small
section of permanent wall vitrines with metal back walls and side
walls.
We found the small magnets strong enough for our purposes. (We had
tested the effectiveness of our small magnets by affixing a matboard
mount with inset magnets to the metal door of our lab. After days
and days of the door opening and closing the test panel didn't
move.)
We are doing tests now with using larger and stronger magnets to
mount book cradles (or shelves). But--the stronger the magnet the
harder it is to detach from the wall. And one of our objectives is
to find an easily dismountable system. I would think that, for
larger paper artefacts mounted on matboard, several small magnets at
each corner would be safer to use than one large one there.
Otherwise you might endanger the artefact in dismounting it.
Karen Potje
for Romain Guedj
Conservator
Canadian Centre for Architecture
------------------------------
Date: 31 Oct 2008
From: Neill McManus <mpc.post [at] gmail__com>
Subject: Magnets for exhibition mounting
Metta Humle Jorgensen <mette.humle [at] natmus__dk> writes
>Has anyone used magnets/magnetic for exhibition mounting? If so,
>what is your experience with it?
Between 2002-2004 I was one of the couriers for the Jewish National
and University Library for a large exhibition of "Einstein" designed
and produced by the American Museum of Natural History, which
traveled the United States to four separate locations over a period
of a year and a half. My institution loaned a large proportion of
the material for the exhibition and was involved at the installation
and deinstallation at each location. The display case design sounds
very similar to yours but in our case the back board angle was not
greater than 35 degrees I think. The items mounted in this manner
were almost entirely single sheet archival material encapsulated in
polyester. They were lassoed around each corner with polyester
straps to mount board cut slightly smaller than the encapsulated
item, the straps were adhered with double sided tape to the back of
the board. 2cm square pieces of self adhesive flexible magnets
(fridge magnet type) were adhered at each corner, generally over the
adhered polyester straps.
The back board of the display cases were a sheet of powder coated
metal (black colour) over which a sheet of heavy coloured paper/card
was placed with the display labels applied on it. The magnetic
attraction could easily be felt through the paper but to ensure a
more secure hold apertures were cut in the back sheet slightly
smaller than the mounted items, this also had the additional benefit
of a speedy installation as the location of each item decided well
in advance and was quick to find on the installation days.
In my experience it worked very well for this type of temporary,
travelling exhibition, mounting was quick and the tight schedules
for installation and deinstallation went smoothly for the large
number of items on display. As there was generally as rotation of
the display items between institutions the back sheets for the cases
could be easily changed and reused without damage. The magnetic
attraction held the items firmly to the metal back board, so firmly
that you had to be careful not to bend the mount board or item when
making slight adjustments to their position in the case. Larger
items, like books were mounted in a more traditional manner in
sunken apertures cut into the metal back board. After the
exhibition, at the four different venues, the cases and the material
were in good condition and to my knowledge continued to be used for
future display.
If you wish for a firmer magnetic hold you could use rare earth
magnets which are allot stronger and thinner and slip them into
pockets on the back of your mount board.
Neill McManus
McManus Paper Conservation
25 Haprachim St.
Rishpon
46915
Israel
+972 9 950 6905
