Barbara Bloom: THE RENDERING (H X W X D =)

Project Snapshot

Location: Allen Memorial Art Museum, Oberlin College

Project Type: Site-Specific Exhibition Installation

Role: Project Manager and Design Documentation Lead

Client: FRONT International: Cleveland Triennial for Contemporary Art

Artist: Barbara Bloom

Duration: 2017–2018

Stakeholders: Barbara Bloom Studio, FRONT International, Allen Memorial Art Museum, Curatorial Staff, Collection Management Staff, Fabricators, Installation Teams, and Exhibition Support Personnel

Project Goal

Commissioned by FRONT International for the inaugural Cleveland Triennial for Contemporary Art, THE RENDERING (H X W X D =) transformed the Allen Memorial Art Museum's Ellen Johnson Gallery into a large-scale exploration of architecture, perception, and display.

Artist Barbara Bloom developed an installation that responded directly to the gallery itself, a distinctive postmodern space designed by architect Robert Venturi. Drawing from works in the museum's permanent collection, Bloom selected paintings, drawings, prints, and photographs depicting architectural subjects and reinterpreted them through a series of custom display structures and three-dimensional architectural forms.

The project required translating a highly conceptual artistic vision into a physically buildable exhibition environment while maintaining museum standards, collection requirements, and project schedules.

Context

Barbara Bloom is internationally recognized for installations that investigate how meaning is created through display, context, and the relationships between objects. For THE RENDERING (H X W X D =), Bloom focused on the architectural qualities embedded within artworks from the museum's collection and sought to "reverse render" two-dimensional architectural images into physical three-dimensional forms occupying the gallery.

The installation included custom display structures that selectively masked portions of collection objects, directing visitors' attention toward architectural details, as well as sculptural elements derived from architectural forms found within the artworks themselves. These interventions transformed the visitor experience by encouraging viewers to navigate the gallery as an architectural environment rather than simply a space for viewing art.

The project's complexity stemmed from the need to coordinate artistic intent, collection stewardship, fabrication requirements, architectural constraints, and installation logistics across multiple organizations.

Leadership and Project Management

I served as the primary project manager between the artist, FRONT International, museum staff, fabricators, and installation teams.

Key responsibilities included:

• Coordinated communication among the artist, curatorial staff, museum stakeholders, and project partners.

• Managed project schedules, deliverables, and design-development milestones.

• Interpreted conceptual artwork proposals and translated them into buildable exhibition components.

• Produced construction documentation and technical drawings for custom exhibition elements.

• Coordinated fabrication requirements and installation planning.

• Facilitated design reviews and approval processes.

• Identified and resolved constructability challenges while preserving artistic intent.

• Managed project information flow between stakeholders throughout design and implementation.

• Supported installation sequencing and field coordination during exhibition build-out.

• Oversaw project completion through exhibition opening.

Project Delivery

Initiation

Established project scope, stakeholder responsibilities, and delivery requirements for a site-specific commission developed for FRONT International and the Allen Memorial Art Museum.

Reviewed artist concepts, institutional requirements, collection constraints, and exhibition schedules to establish project parameters.

Planning

Developed project schedules and coordinated communication among project partners.

Translated conceptual sketches, research materials, and artistic intent into technical documentation suitable for fabrication and installation.

Established review processes for design development, fabrication, and implementation.

Execution

Managed ongoing coordination with Barbara Bloom's studio, museum staff, and fabrication partners.

Produced construction drawings and technical documentation for custom exhibition components and display structures.

Supported fabrication oversight and installation planning to ensure alignment between design intent and physical execution.

Monitoring and Control

Tracked project milestones and deliverables throughout design development and fabrication.

Resolved technical issues affecting fabrication, constructability, and installation.

Maintained communication among stakeholders while balancing artistic goals, schedule requirements, and institutional constraints.

Closeout

Coordinated final installation activities and project completion.

Verified implementation of exhibition elements in accordance with approved designs and artist intent.

Supported project turnover and successful public opening as part of FRONT International.

Outcomes

THE RENDERING (H X W X D =) became one of the signature installations of FRONT International's inaugural triennial and remained on view at the Allen Memorial Art Museum beyond the conclusion of the exhibition.

The project successfully transformed a complex conceptual artwork into a fully realized exhibition environment while maintaining alignment among artist vision, museum standards, fabrication requirements, and project schedules.

The experience reinforced the critical role of project leadership and technical documentation in realizing ambitious contemporary art installations where artistic concepts, architecture, collections, and visitor experience intersect.

Reflection

THE RENDERING (H X W X D =) exemplifies the type of interdisciplinary project that exists between architecture, exhibition design, and contemporary art production.

While visitors encountered a seamless installation, the project's success depended on extensive coordination, technical translation, and project management behind the scenes. The work required balancing conceptual ambition with practical execution, ensuring that complex artistic ideas could be communicated, fabricated, installed, and experienced as intended.

This approach continues to inform my work leading exhibition and gallery projects today, where successful outcomes rely on the ability to connect artists, designers, fabricators, curators, and institutions through a shared project framework.