Installation methods for Robert Ryman's wall-mounted works

Summary Recent years have seen a steady increase in paper-based art designed to be installed directly on the wall without backings, mounts or frames. The difficulty in designing both safe and aesthetically pleasing mounting systems for such works is considerable. Conservators seeking better solutions have been making use of magnets in order to provide the direct viewing required by artists with a relatively easy and safe means of installing the work. This paper describes the use of several variations on magnet systems that have been applied to the work of Robert Ryman, who has been impressed both by their effective simulation of his original installation aesthetic and with the ease of their implementation.