A frame is an investment, a commitment to protect something you love. Custom made examples take significant outlay, but represent value for money in certainty, safety and security. The framer is a guarantor, undertaking that an artwork will come out in the same condition that it went in. Within a frame objects are in stasis, visible but out of reach. Safe and sound.
The most important parts of a frame are the ones you can’t see, but the forces which destroy artworks are invisible too. Changes in humidity can ruin fragile paper and canvas: damaging light will discolour and bleach. Heat, moisture, brightness: tiny fluctuations in any of these conditions can irrevocably damage a costly investment or ruin a treasured possession. To safeguard against this, materials must be carefully chosen. High performance and unglamorous, integral but hidden; these products make all the difference to the longevity of the artwork within. They are the difference between a guarantee and a hope.
We’re committed to perfection. It’s a principle which extends to all of the materials we use in our frames, not just what you can see. Inferior woodpulp drymounting contains tannins and other acid compounds, which quickly degrade and stain artwork. Archival cotton rag mounting, like the museum board we use at Dyson Art, is free of tannin and is PH neutral. Decades of expertise contribute to every decision. It isn’t enough simply to know which materials have the best performance, but to understand how they will interact. From Museum board to foamex and aluminium, all drymounting materials have their uses.
A good frame protects the object it encloses, but is never the focus. The viewer must see the frame, but never notice it. Nothing better represents this than glazing; both seen and seen through. Glare and reflection detracts instantly from the experience of an artwork, but light can also cause untold damage to unprotected objects. Balancing low UV penetration and reflectivity requires high performance materials and expert assembly. Seamless blending of these invisible protections and elegant aesthetics are the true test of the framer’s art.