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My first gallery show, is it customary to sign the mat board?

  • I am having a few of my photographs in an art gallery show. This is my first "real" show... that is, first show outside of college. It is a group show and you are allowed to sell your works. Is it customary to sign the mat board of your work? I have seen it before but I don't know if it is seen at "tacky" or "commercial" in art circles. You do have to sign it somewhere so 200 years from now, someone knows whose art it is.

  • Answer:

    I am an artist, photographer and art collector. I sign my photographs. If this bothers you, sign it on the back without using pressure so it doesn't spoil your photograph. While I have seen the mat boards signed, I don't like it and neither do the gallery directors I happen to know.

joelewis... at Yahoo! Answers Visit the source

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I highly recommend you don't sign the mat. If it is sold and someone re-mats it, your signature will be lost. Unless you are using conservation matboard, it won't last more than 10 years anyway.

Madmatter

I sign on the back a lot, but some people get concerned if they don't see the signature. You may have to reassure some people that its there. I wouldn't sign the mat though, either.

kermit

Definitely sign the back (and write "copyright, <year>" on it too!). Ask the gallery owner their opinion about signing the mats. There is a new sense that it is not professional to sign the mats anymore, but it does seem to vary by whom you speak too.

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