From the most famous paintings to poetry, sculptures, and films, art has always been about the human need to express individual and collective emotions, and finding the best medium for that expression. What medium tells the story most effectively? How does form shape meaning? The creation of something through a medium becomes a meditation on the medium itself.

This brings us to the walls of our homes and galleries. Decorating them with paintings, photographs, and other wall decor isn’t just about what’s on display; it’s also about how it’s arranged. At Picture Hang Solutions, we get it. Sure, we love collecting framed wall art, but we also obsess about the how. When we visit museums or galleries, we’re not just admiring the art; we’re secretly geeking out over the hanging hardware, the stacking techniques, and every detail that makes the display sing. It’s all part of the story.

Picture hanging is as much an art as the piece it supports, and here are two major reasons why.

We begin with the story of the picture frame, a tale as old as art and architecture. Initially immovable features of Medieval cathedrals, frames became mobile as a key element of the Italian Renaissance. The "mobile frame movement" gained popularity as artworks moved from churches to private homes, and framing became a specialized job for furniture makers rather than artists or sculptors. 

The Industrial Revolution spurred the development of simplified, mass-produced frames in the 1800s. By the 1980s, synthetic materials like acrylic and glazing expanded framing possibilities, making them more versatile and accessible.

Framing reflects the tastes of its time as much as the art it surrounds, says frame art dealer Diego Salazar. Museums have always reframed their collections, often adapting to the personal preferences of collectors and institutions. As curatorial practices evolved, contemporary standards favored simple shadow boxes and minimalistic frames. These choices prioritize neutrality, preservation, and adaptability, allowing artworks to fit into various exhibitions while maintaining their integrity.

By the latter decades of the 20th century, there was an emerging attention to framing, driven by a growing market of collectors who recognized the importance of matching a frame’s period to the artwork it housed. This approach honored how a painting might have been presented during the artist’s lifetime, ensuring that both frame and artwork reflected their historical context. 

Suzanne Smeaton, a framing historian interviewed by Art & Object, states that frames annex the viewing experience because they echo and reinforce the composition. While contemporary gallery wall frames lean on the minimalist side with unassuming colors to not distract from the art, plenty of artists have also become more intentional and, as Smeaton says, extend the visual experience with the picture frame.

Take a look at some of our favorite artists who’ve reclaimed framing as part of their creative process:

Stephanie Temma Hier’s process involves building intricate custom sculptural frames around photorealistic oil paintings inspired by stock images, often reflecting digital visual culture and consumption. 

Hassan Hajjaj is an acclaimed Moroccan photographer who used frames as a site of innovation. His pop culture-infused works often feature stylishly dressed subjects surrounded by custom frames and open shelving containing bright mass-produced objects like soda cans, canned goods, or matchboxes. 

Betye Saar  creates artwork with attitudes she carried with her throughout her life. As a child of the Depression who was taught never to throw anything away, Betye’s work meditates on the life of objects, using found objects and vintage materials in her mixed media work. This is reflected in her choices of framing, which range from suitcases and vintage clocks to window frames, door frames, and washboards.

Going back to the history of picture hanging, our approaches to wall hanging have also evolved according to shifting cultural trends. You may be familiar with the iconic 17th-century salon walls: 

The 17th century was marked by drastic changes fueled by the Scientific Revolution, which not only transformed perspectives on the natural world but also paved the way for the Enlightenment ideals of freedom, reason, and progress. Salons became hubs for intellectual exchange and exhibition spaces for the new graduates of the École des Beaux-Arts. The tall walls were adorned with stacks upon stacks of paintings and large framed wall art.

Like picture framing, wall curation has evolved to reflect each era's dominant art and design trends, often simplifying in the contemporary period.If you're curious to learn more gallery wall layouts, check out our article:  Art Hanging Through the Ages 

With the mobile frame movement delegating the less glamorous task of picture hanging to behind-the-scenes professionals, the picture hanging expert has become the unsung hero of interior design, thanks to their deep understanding of spatial awareness, composition, balance, and preservation. But that's just the installation side. Like with the artists who reclaimed framing, what about those who make wall curation and picture hanging an integral part of the narrative?

Here are three artists who do just that.

Ragnar Kjartansson is an Icelandic artist known for his multidisciplinary approach, blending traditional visual art, video installations, and performance art. His works often draw on the tragicomedies of classical theater, with Kjartansson describing his painting practice as a form of performance. 

One of his notable installations, The End (Venice), is a salon-style wall displaying 144 paintings created over six months, with one new piece completed each day. This chronological arrangement highlights the rhythm and process of his artistic production.

Hans Haacke’s Shapolsky et al. Manhattan Real Estate Holdings, A Real-Time Social System as of May 1, 1971 remains as provocative today as it was in the 1970s. The piece uncovers two decades of fraudulent practices by New York slumlords through 146 photographs of Manhattan tenements, maps of Harlem, financial histories, building ownership records, and real estate transactions.

Haacke sourced all this information from publicly available data and presented it in a neutral, minimalist style: unassuming frames arranged in a grid. This deliberate presentation was also an institutional critique of how galleries often sanitize politically radical works by stripping them of context. Haacke’s 1971 solo exhibition at the Guggenheim Museum was canceled a month before opening, with the institution deeming the work too politically charged.

Martha Rosler’s groundbreaking installation at the Dia Art Foundation, titled “If You Lived Here…” (1989),was a multi-part exhibition addressing homelessness and urban living conditions. The media on the walls was intentionally arranged to be overcrowded, creating a curated chaos that reflects the overwhelming complexity of the urban housing crises. The project fostered collaboration with diverse groups, including community organizations, homeless individuals, artists, children, advocates, politicians, and academics, making it both a critique and a platform for dialogue.

In conclusion, picture hanging and framing have evolved alongside the medium as powerful tools for artistic expression, where the way art is presented is as significant as the works themselves. The less exciting task of installation has now become a medium for both commentary and narrative. As artists continue to explore how their work interacts with space, the picture frame and wall curation are no longer just functional tools—they are integral parts of the story being told.