The way an artwork is staged can change how it is perceived. There’s perhaps no better example than London’s Frameless, which opened in 2022. The Marble Arch-based space is filled with recognisable Surrealist, Impressionist and Abstract masterpieces – think Monet, Van Gogh, Dali and Delaunay – but not as you might know them. At Frameless, they are presented in ways never seen before: moving, filling rooms, responding to touch, making sounds. The result is an interactive experience designed to push beyond the confines of tradition. The aim: to engage audiences who might not have set foot in a gallery before.
Debates over the “the best” way to host an exhibition go back hundreds of years. In the 17th century, for example, Paris Salons were the go-to to get your work seen – hundreds of paintings piled high in gilded frames, fighting for space. Then, from the 19th century, the modernist “white cube” setup emerged, in which works were displayed on plain, minimal walls. Postmodernism ushered in an era of play, pastiche and interactivity, whilst the huge success of Yayoi Kusama – the best-selling contemporary artists of 2023 – has led to an array of immersive installations in the style of her Infinity Mirror Rooms. Another significant milestone was during the pandemic, when galleries across the world moved online. We entered an era of digital exhibitions, where shows – of varying technical quality – were delivered at a click, breaking down geographic barriers. Now, as talk of possible metaverses loom, what’s next?
The ArtUp app aims to fill this space and become the new industry standard for art staging. It is a comprehensive platform – an “everything app” – that offers something for all: practising artists, collectors, interior decorators, designers and exhibitiongoers alike. Crucially, it promises creative practitioners a sense of independence and control. It has the functionality to build portfolios; “hang” artworks in realistic interiors; crop images and remove backgrounds; curate and share private or public online exhibitions; inspect analytics; make sales; and interact with customers in real-time. ArtUp calls this “a new era for self-representation”, which “challenges the old gallery system and creates new ways for artists to express themselves and connect with people worldwide … shifting how art is shared and sold today.”
Image Credits:
1. Beyond Reality – Lowinsky. Courtesy Frameless.
2. Courtesy ArtUp.
3. Colour in Motion – Morisot. Courtesy Frameless. Image credit: Montana Lowery.
4. Courtesy ArtUp.
