Hello friends, I thought it might be helpful to share how to mount exhibition labels and photographs, based on what I just did for my exhibition, Doris Small: A Retrospective. 

I had intended to use foam board for all my exhibition mounting. A few weeks ago I roughly planned out how much I would need and bought it as a big sheet from my local art shop.  But then two days before the exhibition opened we found a stash of photos that we wanted to include. I didn’t have enough foamboard for all of them plus their labels, and didn’t have the time to get more so I used some packing cardboard from recent deliveries for these.

I used two different mounting processes and I’ll describe each of them below. 

Foam Board Mounting

I wanted the exhibition labels and information sheet to look really professional. For me, part of that includes no gaps showing between the paper and what it’s mounted on. And to achieve that you need to secure the entire sheet of paper to the mount. 

Using wet adhesive like PVA glue can cause the paper to wrinkle, so that ruled them out. Glue sticks can leave lumps of glue behind which would show in a lumpy, bumpy finished piece, so that was a ‘no’ for them too. Mounting squares, double sided tape, and bluetac all leave a gap so none of them would be suitable (unless you covered the entire paper with them…).

Enter: Spray Mount. This is a relatively dry, re-positionable adhesive that comes in a can. 

Here is how I used it:

1. Cut the mount to the same size as the paper. I bought a large sheet of foam board (A2), so I had to cut it down to the size of paper I was working with (A4). I don’t have the equipment to cut something that big so I asked my local printers (Bare Branding) who very kindly let me use their equipment.
2. Go outside. The spray has nasties in it, and advises that it be used in a well ventilated space. I don’t have anywhere with industrial venting (who does?) so I went to my garden.
3. Get your supplies ready. The ‘repositionable’ aspect of the spray is only for 20-30 seconds so speed is important. Having everything at hand was useful.
4. Spray the mount, covering it with a fine, even coating of adhesive.
5. Carefully line up the paper, then press down.
6. Smooth the paper, getting any bubbles out. 

If you can’t get the paper nicely lined up and smooth first try, quickly lift and reposition the paper.

Cardboard Mounting

I decided to create a hanging photo display, using knitting needles and wool. With that in mind I thought a scrap-book style mounting would look more in-keeping than a super profesh mounting. To that end, for the cardboard mounting I used scrapbooking mounting squares – essentially little squares of double-sided tape.

Here is how I used these:

1. Attach the adhesive mounting squares to each of the corners of the item to be mounted. Leave a gap of a few millimeters between the mounting square and the edge. This is in case you want to trim the photo. If what you’re mounting is large you might want to use more squares to ensure there’s no gaps visible on long edges.
2. Remove the paper covering the second adhesive side.
3. Firmly press the item onto the cardboard mount.
4. Trim to size (if necessary).

It had been so long since I last put on an exhibition that I had mostly forgotten everything. My intention in writing this, as well as helping anyone who wants to know how to mount exhibition labels (or at least, one way to mount exhibition labels (two ways??)), was to help future me the next time I put on an exhibition. Although hopefully this time, the gap won’t be quite so long!

Exhibition Blog series:

• Exhibition Announcement: “Doris Small | A Retrospective”
• Organising An Exhibition
• Making a Giclée Reproduction
• How to Mount Exhibition Labels
• Hosting an Exhibition Private Viewing
• Hanging Photos for my Exhibition