Where to Place Your Glass Art: Ideas for Your New Piece

Glass as a medium carries with it much historical and artistic resonance. The invention of glass blowing coincided with the establishment of the Roman Empire, which spread and enhanced the new technology. It enjoyed practical and artistic use through many ages, and recently its form has experienced a renaissance in the studio glass movement, which began in 1962 in Toledo with Harvey Littleton and Dominick Labino. Since then, contemporary glass art has become available for art collectors of all price ranges to enjoy in their homes.

If you are a seasoned art collector but have never before owned a glass piece, it might be presenting quite the placement conundrum. Indeed, glass art is amazingly ethereal, and the way it filters light and even movement is unparalleled — but the medium does present several obstacles. It is too delicate to mount directly, and yet special enough to deserve a central location in your home. Check out these tips for mounting and displaying your new glass artwork, glass sculpture, or glass painting.

Mounted on Metal Bars
Secure your glass art to the walls by using a mounted metal bar so that the glass and your wall never touch. This will ensure the safety of both your wall and the piece — consult a professional museum worker or framer on how best to secure your glass art to the metal piece. It might entail delicate wires or for the artist themselves to oversee a small welding operation.

In Front of Windows
This is especially true for glass paintings, which can have a beautiful stained glass effect when they are mounted in front of or near windows. Choose a south facing opening so that you can admire the beautiful colored light your new modern art casts over your entire home.

Hang It From the Ceiling
One of the most amazing ways to accentuate every side of your new contemporary glass art work is to suspend it, mobile style from your ceiling. Indeed, using a trusty, art grade wire can ensure its safety while you never have to worry about falling shelves or other objects hurting it.

Consulting with the artist is essential before you make a decision on how to mount your glass art. Glass is transformed from raw materials at a temperature of 2,400 degrees Fahrenheit, but after it’s born in a wave of fire and molten sand, it remains delicate and brittle in its final form.