What light suits paintings and exhibits
Paintings need light with a high colour rendering index (CRI of 90 or more, better 95), free of ultraviolet and with directional accents. Illuminance is set to the sensitivity of the work, and colour and angle to the surface. Everything else, from walls to climate, follows from this.
What is used. Directional fittings on track or in the ceiling with adjustable angle and snoots or framing shutters, so light falls on the picture rather than the wall around it. An angle of incidence of about 30 degrees from vertical: less glare on glass and varnish, less shadow from the frame. A colour temperature of 2700 to 3000 K for warm interiors and about 3500 to 4000 K for contemporary art; consistency across the room matters most. UV and IR filters, which good LEDs usually include.
By museum practice, sensitive works (watercolour, textile, works on paper) are lit low, around 50 lux, while oil and tempera are lit considerably higher, up to roughly 150 to 200. These are reference points; exact values depend on the collection's owner and the exhibition conditions. The general background is kept low so the accent picks out the work.
What wall you need to hang heavy works
A gallery wall must be flat, smooth and able to carry weight: for heavy works it is reinforced with a concealed backing or a hanging rail system is used. Plasterboard on studs alone will not hold a heavy frame.
Solutions. A steel stud frame with double boarding and an 18 mm or so plywood insert at the needed height. A brick or block wall with plaster, where fixings go into solid material. A ceiling rail system with wires or rods from which works are hung without drilling walls. Removable panels changed with each exhibition. Concealed cast-in fixings in the wall for large sculptures and installations.
The surface. Perfectly flat plaster with skim and matt paint to avoid glare. Crisp corners, with no skirting or a flush-set one. The height of the hanging wall and the sight line, about 145 to 150 cm to the centre of the work, are set in advance. Weight and fixing type are calculated for the heaviest work in the collection.
Do you need climate control in a gallery
For collectible art climate control is needed, because swings in temperature and humidity warp wood, canvas and paper, and in a gallery with visitors they also bother guests. For a furniture or design showroom it is handled more simply.
What is usually maintained. A temperature of about 20 to 22 C and relative humidity of around 50% with small fluctuations. Stability matters more than the absolute figure: sudden jumps do more harm. For that you fit air conditioning with humidity control, humidification and dehumidification, sensors and loggers. Cold air must not blow on the works, and grilles are hidden in profiles or above the ceiling.
For a private gallery in a home or historic building the system must be quiet and discreet. In historic buildings with thick walls and vaults stability is better, but routes must be carefully hidden. The decision depends on the value of the works and the insurance terms: the insurer may set requirements for climate and security.
How to organise storage of works
Storage is a separate room next to the exhibition space, with the same climate, a strong floor and protection: racking, pull-out mesh screens, plan chests for works on paper, and space to pack and unpack. Works cannot be kept in the gallery itself: there is light and visitors.
Layout. Racks with sliding mesh screens on which paintings hang save floor area. Flat files for prints and photographs. Niches for sculptures with soft protection. An inspection and packing table with good light. Doors and corridors wide enough for large works: usually 120 to 150 cm wide and with headroom to spare. The floor carries trolleys and sculptures.
Security. Smoke and intruder detectors, CCTV, fire-resistant doors or partitions. No water or pipes above the store. Services for storage are planned from the start, as they determine the dimensions and position of the other rooms.
Preparing a historic building for a gallery
In a historic building the gallery combines a protected shell and contemporary content: old vaults and columns stay, and neutral walls, light and climate go inside. The work is done carefully, recording the existing state.
What is done. The fabric is surveyed: walls, vaults, floors, damp. It is established what may be touched and what is protected. New lighting must not spoil historic surfaces: rails on slim brackets and fittings without visible cables. A second wall is built in front of the old one on a sub-frame, to avoid damaging the original and to give a flat surface for display. Climate and services route through the loft and the floor. Floors are often kept and protected, and the loads on them calculated.
Approvals depend on the building's protection and the type of work. We have described the approach to protected facades and buildings in other guides. Site logistics in the centre are planned ahead: deliveries, waste removal and hour limits.
How BCN YARD helps with a gallery or showroom
A gallery or showroom is a project in which light, walls, climate and security are solved together. We run these projects in Russian and Spanish, with one person responsible: site visit and measurements, a staged estimate, our own crew and vetted subcontractors, payment under contract.
From our real experience: the Urgel flat in Eixample, 109.80 m2, where the interior works with a marble wall and slatted timber panels: the same devices of clean surfaces and calculated light apply to an exhibition. In commercial premises we also did a children's psychology centre in Eixample with climate control and air heat recovery.
We reply to enquiries within an hour. If you have the list of works in the collection, the dimensions of the largest and the desired exhibition schedule, send them before the visit: we can then calculate loads, passage widths and services in advance.
Frequently asked questions
What light is suitable for paintings?
Light with a CRI of 90 or more, free of UV, directional at about 30 degrees from vertical to avoid glare on glass and varnish. For sensitive works the level drops to 50 lux, and oil allows more. Figures are indicative and depend on the collection.
What wall do I need to hang heavy works?
A steel frame with double boarding and a plywood insert of about 18 mm, a brick or block wall with plaster, or a ceiling-mounted hanging rail system. Fixings are calculated for the heaviest work in the collection. For the heaviest works it is enough to reinforce one wall and keep the other hanging walls ordinary.
Is climate control needed in a gallery?
For collectible art, yes: a stable 20 to 22 C and humidity around 50%, and above all no sudden swings. A furniture showroom needs only ordinary air conditioning. Insurers may set requirements too. A furniture showroom can do with ordinary air conditioning, but stable temperature and humidity still help the materials.
How should works be stored in a gallery?
A separate room with the same climate, racks with pull-out mesh screens for paintings, plan chests for works on paper, packing space and wide doors. Fire and intruder alarms; no pipes above the store. For security the store is separated from the gallery and closed with its own door, staff access only.