The Edge of Words

13 February 2015

Dr Frances Fowle, University of Edinburgh

Words on the Edges of Paintings: On Writing Exhibition Labels

Abstract

Exhibition labels can enhance or deter communication between the work of art and the visitor. They have the power to enchant or repel. This talk by Frances Fowle, Senior Curator at the Scottish National Gallery, examines the role of the exhibition label and other forms of written interpretation, taking into consideration aesthetic and more practical concerns, as well as topical issues such as ‘dumbing down’ and layering of information. In this technological era, are there more desirable alternatives to the word on the wall?