Planning the display of finished artworks is a structured design process. In Unit 4 AoS 2, students must plan and document how they will display their work in a specific space, demonstrating that display decisions are deliberate and justified rather than improvised.
Step 1: Space survey
Before planning, thoroughly survey the exhibition space:
- Measure wall dimensions, ceiling height, floor area
- Identify lighting sources (natural and artificial), electrical outlets, hanging systems
- Note entry and exit points, traffic flow patterns
- Photograph the space from multiple angles
- Note any fixed features that constrain placement (windows, doors, pipes, pillars)
Step 2: Work inventory
List all works to be displayed:
- Title, medium, dimensions and weight of each work
- Presentation requirements (framing, plinth, vitrine)
- Any special handling or installation requirements (heavy works requiring wall anchors; fragile works requiring protection)
Step 3: Layout planning
Develop one or more proposed layouts:
- Create a scale floor plan (graph paper or digital) showing the space and proposed artwork positions
- Test different arrangements: groupings, sequences, spacing
- Consider visual balance across the whole display
- Consider visitor sightlines from entry and key vantage points
Step 4: Lighting plan
Identify lighting requirements for each work:
- Which works need spotlighting? What colour temperature is appropriate?
- Are there works sensitive to UV (works on paper, photographs, certain pigments)?
- Is there a power source available for any electrical work?
Step 5: Interpretive planning
Plan the placement and format of any accompanying text:
- Where will artist statement/overview text be placed?
- Where will individual labels be positioned relative to each work?
- What size and typeface will be used?
Documentation in the Visual Arts journal should include:
Annotated floor plan: a scale diagram of the exhibition space with works placed and labelled; annotations explaining placement decisions
Elevation drawings: side-view diagrams showing hanging height, spacing and framing for each wall
Photographs of the space: with annotations noting proposed placement
Written rationale: a paragraph or more explaining the key display decisions and their justification
Process notes: documenting any changes between the initial plan and the final installation, with reasons
The display plan is not just a practical tool — in VCE AME it is a documented evidence of planning thinking. The plan should show:
- that decisions were made systematically and thoughtfully
- that the space’s characteristics were considered
- that the display supports the artworks’ visual language and ideas
- that adjustments were made and documented
KEY TAKEAWAY: A display plan demonstrates that presentation of artworks is a considered creative act, not simply a practical arrangement. The quality of the planning process is as important as the final installation.
VCAA FOCUS: VCAA requires students to “plan and document the display” — both words matter. A display without documentation and a document without evidence of actual planning are both incomplete.
STUDY HINT: Before your Unit 4 display, spend time in the exhibition space at different times of day noting how the light changes. This will significantly improve the quality of your lighting planning and documentation.
