Art Gallery of Hamilton

Scale—both physical and perceived—plays an important part in how we experience an artwork. Whether we look at an ambitious twelve-foot canvas or a miniature artwork the size of a locket, the dimensions of any given object can both define and condition how we perceive and engage with it. Large paintings can be appreciated either by stepping back to make sense of the whole, or by moving closer to explore the details of the brushstrokes. Conversely, the delicate and diminutive scale of smaller works might offer an intimacy that feels conspiratorial, as we lean in, getting to know our subject.

This exhibition explores the AGH collection from this perspective, as we ask ourselves how scale defines an artwork and, in turn, how size shapes our interaction with objects. Size Matters is largely an exploration, posing questions about what the scale of an object can communicate.