My allocated exhibition space with my plinth in place
Due to the nature of the group show where there were a large number of students exhibiting, we were allocated spaces based on the designs of our proposed work, and consideration of their dimensions, installation needs, and how they would work together in the space. I requested a space that would have plenty of light, because I felt that my glass piece would look best situated where the light could shine through it.
Since my work would be on a plinth, I only needed a small area of wall space to place my additional work. I obtained the plinth from the wood workshop, however I needed a larger surface so I asked Don to securely affix a piece of wood to the top of it. I ensured both my wall space and plinth were gum taped and cleanly painted to avoid any unnecessary distractions from the work.
Considering different methods of installing the piece
The biggest challenge was installing the glass triptych so it would stand upright. Since I had not been able to include the hinges from my original design, it would not be as strong as I had anticipated. I considered displaying it on the wall, or flat on the plinth, but I felt strongly that it should be standing so that the piece could be understood as an altarpiece by the viewer.
I obtained some clamp style stands, however I found that they would not hold the piece in place- they needed to cover more of the lower surface of the glass. To do so without spoiling the effect meant that I needed to make some stands using clear perspex so that there could be an uninterrupted view of the glass design.
If I were to re-make the piece again, I would make a thicker outer border using wider copper foil, and wrap the edge of the entire piece in zinc u-channel. I would then be able to attach hinges or fixings to the zinc, and the panes would be less likely to bow or break. In the time that I had available to me however, the perspex stands were the quickest, strongest and most practical option.
I had seen a design for a perspex stand that another student had made, and felt that the design would be strong and work aesthetically with my piece. Speaking with Don in the wood workshop, he informed me that he still had the design for the perspex stands saved, and we were able to adapt it using my measurements and specifications. I altered it to be the correct dimensions for my panes, as well as making it slightly taller at the back of the design so that the panes would slightly lean back into it for added strength. We laser cut the designs in perspex and then used a strip heater to heat and bend them into shape, ensuring the screw holes were located in the right position. I bent the stands slightly narrower at the top so that they would hold the glass securely.
One of the stands has discoloured during the laser printing process where the white plastic coating had adhered to the perspex, and there are some burn marks from the laser cutter. I didn’t want to waste the stands I had already cut, so I cleaned them using turpentine to remove as much of the discolouration as I could. I intend to sand off the remaining marks using glass paper.
Laser cutting my custom perspex stands
Heating the stand to bend it into shape
Final installation of the glass piece
Securing the perspex to the plinth required some assistance- I asked two people to hold the glass panes upright whilst I figured out the angles and marked where the stands needed to go. Due to the height of the stands I needed a long reach screwdriver to install. The glass then simply slotted into the stands.
The other works I wanted to display were sketches of the beach. They were there to give context to the glass piece, and therefore I wanted them to be displayed in a less formal manner, keeping the glass as the main piece. For this reason, I used bulldog clips secured to the wall using nails. The wall did look a little too minimal with my two sketches alongside Odelia’s large photographic works. Julian suggested adding some photographs to give it a more ‘sketchbook’ feel, which I think worked well. I liked the over all look of the space, which combined formal and informal elements.
My exhibition area with glass piece and charcoal sketches