Displaying Sculpture

Art Business News, July, 2001

Everyone knows what to do with a painting--frame it and hang it above the sofa or in the hall. But sculpture? It's a whole different animal.

"We have all grown up with two dimensional art," explained Edie Barry, director of marketing for Maestro Pedestals. "Even those of us from the most unsophisticated backgrounds have all torn a picture out of a magazine and put it up on the wall. But even affluent clients may not feel comfortable with sculpture because they don't have the experience of it. Incorporating a fine quality pedestal helps them see how it can be displayed and removes that initial aversion to sculpture."

Quoting a gallery owner who finally saw the light, Barry added, "Pedestals are our friends."

Galleries wouldn't dream of hanging an unframed oil painting on the wall, so why place a sculpture on the corner of a desk or a store fixture and expect it to sell?

"It not only sets a better presentation, it also helps sell the artwork," said Pease Acrylics co-owner Patrick Pease. "With a pedestal, you have probably a 95-percent chance of making that sale--95 percent is in the presentation."

A professionally crafted pedestal not only draws attention to the sculpture, but it also adds perceived value to the sculpture.

"We all have the innate understanding that anything on a pedestal has value. You are treating the artist with respect, whether it be a well known sculptor or an up-and-comer."

And for the galleries, it is a great bargaining tool. While it is dangerous to start discounting the art, galleries can easily use the pedestal as a bargaining chip, added Barry, by offering a 10-percent discount for the pedestal, selling the pedestal at cost or even throwing it in for free.

"It is the all-important bargaining chip to close a sale. It's like saying would you like fries with that."

Size matters, too.

According to Barry, the general rule of thumb is "the smaller the piece the taller the pedestal, the taller the piece, the smaller the pedestal. If it is a figurative piece, you want to look into its eyes. If the face is looking down, you want to look up into it, and if the face is looking up, you want to be looking down into it."

Added Kisting, "If the pedestal is too low, the sculpture looks insignificant. If the pedestal is too small, the sculpture will look like it is falling off, and if it is too large, the sculpture will look like it is swimming. Pedestals should also be lit and turning."

And don't forget to dust them once in a while, either.