Webinar with Wendy – Installation Planning

Had a very good session today on how best to develop and show alternative hanging plans.

First, the focus will be on the black and white landscapes with Khmer quotes. That is the core of the show, and the FMP proposal.

Second, I showed some plans using photographs of previous shows as backdrop. Wendy much prefers using simpler ‘architect style’ plans (see below). We also talked about the ‘final’ documentation which requires professional quality installation shots – Sarah Pickering is an exemplar.

Third, the approach to using educational collateral seems right – give away zines, museum-style display cases, possibly including a small slide show in the stand-up display etc.

Wendy suggested a few things. Keep it clean – she doesn’t like floor stands (!) and there is possible entry wall space to intro the show. Also, maybe be sure the images are not too big – we want people to engage and get close. A grid approach is right for this work, so consider other options and play with them. Stacking might well work (see below). For the video / sound, be sure to use headphones as it is a working space.

After the webinar, I constructed wall plans to play with. Plans are here BRLSI Installation Layout 2.

First, here’s the basic floor plan.

Wall One is the key – that is the first wall visitors will see, on the left above. Wall two is at the top, alongside reception. And all three is on the right.

Here is wall one – with A1 images. Clean, elegant and I believe impactful.

Or with two A2 images, stacked.

I will remove most of the furniture, although a simple table and chairs will allow people to read the zines.

I prefer the first, simpler layout, with 3 images.

Wall two has an excellent space for video projection.

Given the inclusion of video, the simpler, first layout seems more ‘elegant’.

Sarath has just sent me an English track to go with the high-quality Khmer video that I have, of him telling a story. Editing soon underway. We also will be getting English tracks for his Mother and sister – and for all the one-line quotes. At the moment I am not sure how best to project / show this. TV, as it is a very bright venue?

Wall three has several possibilities.

I prefer the one below, with stacked images. It is a large, blank space and I think this layout has more dynamism and interest.

In all, that would make 6 A1 and 8 A2 sized images.

I will be sharing these ideas with others. Next step is to make some test prints at scale, and revisit the venue.

I also will be looking at archive / artefact options for display, to add depth to the story, and particularly to education progress.

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Notes on scaling in Photoshop file:

Wall One has an effective hanging space of 343 cm, 290 in the alcove. An A1 image (84.1 x 59.4) is thus sized at 3.92 x 2.76 in my plan, A2 (59.4 x 42.0) at 2.76 x 1.95.

Wall Two has an effective hanging space of 293 cm on main wall. An A1 image is thus sized at 2.9 x 2.05 in my plan, A2 at 2.05 x 1.46.

Wall three has an effective hanging space of 541 cm. An A1 image is thus sized at 3.00 x 2.11 in my plan, A2 at 2.11 x 1.50.