Whitney Museum: Ruth Asawa Through Line Wallpaper Installation

Fine Print Process: Translating hand-painted artwork into museum-grade seamless wallpaper for a landmark retrospective

Museums are entrusted with preserving and presenting cultural history at the highest level of fidelity. When wall coverings are part of an exhibition design, the stakes are particularly high — every line, hue, and texture must serve the artist’s vision while meeting the practical demands of a public environment.

In the fall of 2023, we had the privilege of collaborating with the Whitney Museum of American Art for the exhibition Ruth Asawa Through Line (Sept 16, 2023 – Jan 15, 2024). This sweeping retrospective explored the depth of Asawa’s work across media, including her distinctive hand-painted geometric designs. Our role was to transform one of these original works into a seamless wallpaper pattern that would envelop the walls of the exhibition space, creating a cohesive visual frame for her art.

About Ruth Asawa

Ruth Asawa (1926–2013) was a pioneering Japanese American artist celebrated for her intricate wire sculptures, public art commissions, and innovative drawings. Her life story — from being interned during World War II to becoming a leading figure in West Coast modernism — is as inspiring as her artistic legacy. This exhibition at the Whitney sought to trace the “through lines” in her work: the recurring motifs, forms, and processes that connected her paintings, sculptures, and community projects.

Translating Art into Wallpaper

The Whitney provided a high-resolution scan of one of Asawa’s hand-painted geometric designs. The challenge was to reproduce it as a seamless pattern that would cover every wall in the featured gallery without compromising the integrity of the original brushwork.

While the supplied artwork was at 300 dpi — sufficient for most wallcoverings — the Whitney’s curators were adamant about capturing every nuance of Asawa’s brushstrokes and color transitions. Using our in-house enhancement process, we upscaled the file to 600 dpi, allowing for exceptional clarity and faithful reproduction of the fine painted details.

Project Specifications

• Creative Status: High-resolution scan of original artwork provided by Whitney Museum
• Material: Type II commercial-grade wallcovering, smooth finish for fine detail reproduction
• Total Coverage: Full perimeter of featured gallery space (2000 sq ft)
• Resolution: Enhanced from 300 dpi to 600 dpi using proprietary in-house processing
• Ink Technology: UV-cured inks for colorfastness and museum-grade durability
• Material: 585 square feet, Type 2 Matte Wallcovering

Color Accuracy at Museum Standards

Color accuracy was the project’s highest priority. Museum-grade reproduction requires meticulous proofing to ensure that the printed work matches the original under all viewing conditions.

The Whitney team reviewed three rounds of physical proofs before granting final approval. During this process, a critical discovery was made: the first round had been inspected only under natural light, which masked a slight discrepancy in the blues. Fortunately, a second curator happened to examine the proof in the showrooms artificial lighting and caught the issue before production.

We adjusted the color profile to accommodate both lighting conditions and printed with UV-cured inks, ensuring the colors would remain stable over time, even under prolonged exposure to bright gallery lighting.

Installation Considerations

The wallpaper needed to be completely seamless so that the repeating pattern would not distract from the art on display. This meant precise panel alignment and edge-to-edge printing with no visible breaks. Given the Whitney’s high foot traffic and ongoing exhibition schedule, the wallpaper also had to meet fire safety codes, be durable, and easily cleanable without damaging the printed surface.

Lessons Learned

• Always proof under multiple lighting conditions — both natural and artificial — to catch color shifts that may only appear in one setting.
• Higher-than-standard resolution can make a measurable difference in fine art reproductions, especially when the work contains subtle brush textures or delicate color gradations.
• UV-cured inks are not only about fade resistance — they also provide peace of mind for curators concerned about maintaining exact hues over the lifespan of an exhibition.

This collaboration with the Whitney Museum underscores the importance of precision, patience, and a deep respect for the artist’s intent. By blending technical expertise with a commitment to faithful reproduction, we were able to create an immersive gallery environment that honored Ruth Asawa’s vision — and met the Whitney’s exacting standards.

About the Author

Joseph Gornail is a multimedia artist and fourth-generation print craftsman whose family has lived on the same block in SoHo for over 90 years. With an extensive background in photography, writing and creative direction, Joseph has a love of the arts and a proud New Yorker. When he’s not documenting city life or curating historic images for History101.nyc, he can likely be found sailing the New York harbor to enjoy his native city from a different perspective.