Scale plays an important role in an exhibit; it determines how viewers interact with the piece and establishes the entire audience experience. A simple example would be if a sculpture was shown in a small scale, it will appear to have less of an overwhelming presence than if the same sculpture would be to appear in a scale massively larger than the audience. Smaller scale sculptures in this exhibit are placed on a pedestal, where the sculpture is at eye level to the audience. This is effective because it establishes a sense of hiearchy to the piece itself; viewers are interacting face to face with the work rather than looking down at the work if there was no pedestal.
In the ‘Like Life: Sculpture, Color and the Body’ exhibit at the Met Breuer, the sculptures are organized in a way where there is ample space for viewers to move around each piece, as move through the exhibit. Many sculptures placed within the center of the room are life-size which allows for viewers to experience the work in a 360 degree view. Smaller sculptures in this exhibit tend to be placed against the wall on a high pedestal which makes it no less important than the life size sculptures themselves. Additionally, large scale sculptures that are placed on high pedestals create an overpowering sense of self and creates an emphasis on the work itself.
