Our Mountmaking Manifesto

• Never alter an object to accommodate mounting.

• Never use original holes, straps, or hooks to support an object.

• Wear nitrile gloves while handling objects and remove them during sanding or other “dirty” work.

• Defer to museum preference regarding the use of gloves with paper, glass, and glazed ceramic objects.

• Only experienced mountmakers, not trainees or art handlers, create mounts for our clients.

• Size, space, and position mount arms to accept the weight of the object or stabilize and orient the object within the mount.

• Place mount arms with sensitivity to the structure of an object­­; position weight-bearing arms where an object is stable, and place additional arms where an object’s fragility needs further support.

• Design mounts to anticipate the tendency for organic materials to experience dimensional changes.

• Consider an object’s center of gravity and design mounts to minimize stress or mount rotation.

• Create mounts that properly span an object so that mount tabs do not become pivot points.

• Design mounts to securely cradle objects from being knocked loose.

• Construct security mounts for uncased objects that firmly grasp the object without distorting or loosening if the object is handled.

• Finish tabs to be well-rounded and blunt so that they won’t scratch.

• Clean and temporarily pad mounts during fitting to prevent abrasions.

• Carefully bend and round tabs for a perfect fit to the object, because ill-fitting tabs concentrate the entire weight of an object at small contact points

• Pad mounts where they meet the object using sueded polyethylene, Acryloid B-72, Volara, or Krylon Clear Coat.

• Provide a list of all materials, adhesives, paints, and finishes intended for use to ensure that they meet each museum’s specifications.

• Create straightforward “just lift to remove object” mounts when possible to lessen the risk of damage during curatorial maintenance, emergencies, or final deinstall.

• Prepare simple designs that reduce object handling during mount fitting and keep objects safer.

• Work closely with conservators to address an object’s needs and find appropriate display solutions.

• Fabricate mounts with mechanical attachments, not adhesives that can eventually fail.

• Place archival barriers between objects and case furniture to inhibit material interaction.

• Provide deinstallation notes and drawings for all mounts that are not “lift to remove.”

• Listen to and appreciate feedback.

• Discuss how an object will be displayed in order to design the most appropriate mount.

• Find out if an object is deck or wall mounted, how far it is to be from the deck/wall, and at what angle it is to be displayed.

• Consider an object’s placement within the case and viewer angle to design hidden mounts.

• Make tabs at the front of an object small; they rarely support much weight.

• Carefully paint out mounts where visible to blend into the object.

• If ambient vibration is a concern, use Oddy-tested silicone sheet or pins and never museum wax, silicone rubber, or tape.

• Finish mounts to a high standard because lopsided tabs, misaligned padding, and visible brushstrokes detract from an object’s appearance.

• Position tabs so that they harmoniously relate to the visual balance of a piece and aren’t in conflict with important object details.

• Offset rods to reduce the “lollipop effect.”