Hello,
I'm looking for low cost methods for displaying Chinese silk scrolls. We have several scrolls that were received as gifts and they have low monetary value. We display them on campus in various administrative and academic buildings.
The scrolls have a horizontal orientation and some of them are 6 to 10 feet long. When we secure them on the sides, they tend to sag in the middle. Due to the low value of the artwork, we do not want to frame them. (The framing would exceed their value).
A colleague/art professor suggested that we obtain a piece of plywood and cover with fabric and then mount the scrolls to the wood. He suggested that we use pins at the top of the scroll to keep it flat (but not put the pin directly through the fabric, instead using the pin head to apply pressure to the fabric). I've never seen this done before. I suggested concealed wood dowel/rod like you would for hanging a quilt and he said this is typically not done for Chinese scrolls.
I'm seeking other solutions. Thanks in advance for your advice.
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Kristen Evangelista
Gallery Director
University Galleries, William Paterson University
Wayne NJ
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