Picture Frame
Fishes in a Lotus Pond
Does a frame make a difference?
When we go shopping for a picture frame, we think about where the photo will be displayed and what the size of the frame should be. We think about how well the frame suits the photo but also give some thought to how all the decor in that setting would go together. In addition, we all have our own aesthetics that we lean towards. After all, our spaces are a reflection of us and our likes.
Framing is then a very personal choice and is not simply a frame but a decor piece. GK Chesterton famously said “Art consists of limitation. The most beautiful part of every picture is the frame”. The difference between viewing a landscape in nature vs viewing in in a picture is limiting and similarly viewing a person in a photo vs viewing them in person is limiting in its experience. The word frame in general implies limit.
What is included and what is left out is matter for the artist and what art is about. This editing process is one of the more difficult things to do in any art. Some artists feel the frame changes the art and hence choose only white mats or minimalist frames to allow the art work to stand out. Many contemporary artists display their canvas without frames to allow only the art to speak and not be distracted by the framing. Some artists see the frame as the structure and framework for their work, to transform and control the content of the display.
Whichever frame you choose for art or photos, it can significantly change the experience and emotion of the piece. When framing original artwork, it is important to choose the frame just as carefully as you chose the art.
On my travels and exploration of Vienna and Budapest, I noticed that almost all the paintings in the museums and palaces were framed in extremely elaborate, detailed moldings and bright gold frames. In some cases each side of the frame was almost half the width of the painting itself. It amplified the scale of the painting and lent to a sense of opulence and grandeur and old world wealth that was perfect for that setting. It also could be that the big wide frames fill up the wall space than having small art work on large walls. Those big pieces with frames covered almost entire walls and that definitely contributed to a sense of largeness to the palaces. Photography was not allowed in many of the palaces and so I do not have those photos to share. These are from some of the places I was allowed to photograph.
‘Pathway in Monets Garden At Giverny’ by Claude Monet
And ‘The Kiss’ by Gustav Klimt !!
I have begun to look at frames as an extension of my art, an opportunity and another medium for my work. Sometimes I want a frame that is plain and the art is colorful and detailed and sometimes a simple art for painted frame such as this. Here’s a regular store bought frame that I painted using acrylic colors. For now I have a family photo in this frame but I may switch it out to add a painting so that the frame and artwork are similar but not alike and that the colors and design flow together. Or maybe a monotone art in this colorful frame. What do you think?
