Mounting ArtMounting art safely and securely in its Frame Package is one of the most important areas of archival framing. The mounting must allow for the art to be able to be removed without damage in the future. The Adhesive that is used on a work of art must prove itself over time to not cause discoloration. The adhesive must not migrate into the art or the mat, where it could promote oxidation. And as I mentioned, it has to be reversible: it must be removable without using solvents or significant amounts of water to cause irreversible damage to the art. There are a lot of methods of mounting art to a Backer Board and a lot of them use glue or tape or a dry mount method to mount directly to the art. Don’t use them unless you want to damage or destroy your art. I will explain the methods used by conservation minded framers. Lineco Archival Corrugated Backer Board The non-adhesive method employs folded corners or strips made of Polyester or Japanese Paper. Only the corners are attached to the backer board and the art is slipped into the corners. It is safe and the action may be reversed later on with no ill effects on the art. You can purchase pre-made corners as well as strips of polyester that attach to the backer board at art supply stores. For permanently mounting art to a backer board I recommend using a paper called Japanese Tissue and a Wheat or Rice Starch Paste. Use the Japanese tissue as a Hinge and attach the hinge to the top of the art with the paste allowing the art to hang free. This can be reversed using water and if you’re careful, the art will not be damaged. The Hinge The Japanese tissue or paper I mention is made of very strong and flexible fibers. The Japanese harvest these fibers from the paper mulberry, gampi and the mitsumata trees. These tree fibers are used to make paper or Washi. The fiber in a sheet of Japanese tissue run parallel to the chain lines and you can see them running across the sheet about an inch apart. This gives the paper strength and fold endurance in that direction. Your hinges should be designed to take advantage of this feature for mounting art. The Adhesive I mentioned using wheat or rice starch paste, which is a vegetable-based adhesive and has been used for hundreds of years with excellent results. The vegetable starch used should be as pure and free of Gluten as you can get it. The gluten will make the paste very tough and difficult to remove. A starch paste is a low tack Adhesive that doesn’t bond until completely dry. This means you must keep the work secure throughout the drying process. This paste is reversible using a little water. It doesn’t discolor as it ages so it is considered archival and is widely used by art Conservators. There are other methods of mounting available. I don’t want to see any art ruined because of improper mounting. If the methods I’ve mentioned do not meet your needs, you can find books on archival framing in bookstores and at art supply stores. Please use the Contact Form to ask me questions or share your thoughts with me. For additional information on Framing, visit Matting and Mat Boards, Glazing, Backer boards and Dust covers, Conservation and Restoration or Framing Design--Form and Function. Return to Framing Art or HOME.
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