Caring for art in Abuja: heat, light and the harmattan

Choose the wall first

Avoid walls that take afternoon sun, walls above radiators of heat like inverters or kitchen walls, and outside walls that get damp in the rains. An inside wall in a sitting room is usually best.

Light, not sunlight

Direct sun fades pigment and yellows paper in a single season. If a work must hang near a window, we frame it with UV filtering glass and suggest blinds in the afternoon. Warm LED picture lights are safe; old halogen spots are not.

A steady wall, no direct sun and a little attention when the dust comes.

The harmattan months

From December to February the dust is fine and constant. Dust frames with a soft dry brush, never a damp cloth on gilding. Keep canvases off the floor and away from open doors. A sealed back on every frame keeps the dust out of the work itself.

Rainy season damp

Humidity makes paper ripple and invites mould. Leave a small gap behind each frame with bumpers so air moves, and keep air conditioning steady rather than switching it on and off.

When to call us

Brown spots on paper, flaking paint, a canvas that has gone slack or glass touching the work. All of these can be fixed if caught early. Bring the work in, or send us a photo first.

Written by the Gilded Frame workshop. General guidance for this demo.