REFRAME
PART 1 — COMMUNICATION THEORY: FRAMING AS A TOOL FOR MEANING-MAKING
Why Communication Theory Matters in Design & Contemporary Art?
Contemporary art and design operate through interpretation. A work is never perceived in isolation: its meaning depends on context, material, presentation, and the viewer’s prior knowledge. Communication theory helps unravel these mechanisms. It explains how meaning is constructed rather than simply transmitted. Among these theories, framing is especially relevant. It shows how boundaries — physical, conceptual, or institutional — shape the way we understand objects and images. This section reflects on how framing operates across design and contemporary art, influencing both creation and perception.
Em Rooney. Derosia. 2024
What Is Communication and What Is Framing?
Communication is a meaning-making process shaped by interpretation, not a one-way transfer of information. Framing is the mechanism that structures this interpretation. A frame selects what becomes visible, relevant, or valuable, while leaving other aspects out of view. In visual culture, framing is both literal (a physical border) and metaphorical (a cognitive filter). It organizes perception, directs attention, and establishes narrative context. Understanding framing reveals how design and art guide the viewer’s reading of an image or object.
Eli Craven. Soap opera. 2022
Erving Goffman proposed frame analysis as a way to understand how individuals identify «what is happening» in any situation. Frames are cognitive structures through which we classify events, actions, and images. In exhibition environments, Goffman’s idea becomes visibly material: display formats, spatial cues, labels, and even architecture frame how an artwork is interpreted. A change of frame — formal, material, or contextual—alters meaning. This principle is foundational for understanding how contemporary visual practices operate.
Robert Entman expanded framing theory within media studies. For Entman, framing is the act of selecting certain aspects of reality and making them more salient. Through framing, a communicator: — defines the problem, — identifies causes, — makes moral evaluations, — proposes solutions.
Though developed for media, this model applies to visual communication: design choices implicitly guide interpretation. In exhibitions, publications, or branding, framing influences how narratives are constructed and how viewers position themselves toward the work.
Joanna Piotrowska. L’Irrésolue (The Irresolute). 2023
Human perception is selective. We see what the frame makes visible. Framing guides attention, establishes hierarchy, and shapes emotional response. A slight shift in placement, color, scale, or spacing can redefine how an object or image is read. In visual design, framing determines tone and structure. In contemporary art, it can expose or critique the mechanisms of interpretation themselves. Recognizing this selectivity is essential for understanding how meaning emerges through design decisions.
A physical frame marks boundaries, isolates an image, and sets the conditions for viewing. Cognitive framing works in the same way: it structures meaning by providing context, defining relevance, and shaping expectations. In many contemporary practices, these two forms of framing merge. Designers and artists often make the framing system visible — turning the frame, pedestal, border, or interface into part of the conceptual message. This parallel reveals how material presentation becomes inseparable from interpretation.
Joanna Piotrowska and Formafantasma. Sub rosa. 2022
Framing is a fundamental strategy across contemporary art: — Readymade logic: reframing ordinary objects to shift their status (after Duchamp). — Institutional critique: exposing museum systems that construct meaning. — Material experimentation: using recycled, industrial, or fragile materials to question value and authenticity. — Post-production practices: recontextualizing existing images and objects. In these approaches, the frame — conceptual or physical —becomes a site of meaning production. It reveals how context transforms perception.
Noah Dillon. Horses. 2024
Design continuously uses framing to structure information and guide experience. In graphic design, frames create hierarchy, contrast, and rhythm. In photography, they define narrative focus. In exhibition design, they orchestrate spatial attention. In digital interfaces, frames determine usability and navigation. Framing becomes a method for shaping meaning through form, structure, and interaction. It is not a neutral container but an active agent in communication.
Liu Shiyuan. A Shaking We No.3. 2018
Critical communication theory highlights that materials themselves act as signs. A material carries cultural, ecological, and ideological meaning. Designers and artists use material choices to comment on consumption, sustainability, and value systems. When the framing system—its material, texture, or production method—is foregrounded, it becomes part of the work’s message. Thus, framing is not only about what is shown but also about how the showing is constructed.
Framing theory reveals that meaning is not inherent in objects but produced through context. In design and contemporary art, framing is a tool, a method, and a critical strategy. It shapes perception, constructs narratives, and exposes the mechanisms behind visual culture.
Understanding framing allows makers to work with meaning intentionally—using context, material, and presentation not as neutral containers, but as active participants in communication.
PART 2 — BRAND PRESENTATION (GENERAL AUDIENCE)
Meet REFRAME A brand that transforms recycled plastic into modern, minimalist frames and display panels. Designed to make art and everyday spaces more thoughtful, sustainable, and visually clear.
Our mission is to rethink how we frame visual experiences. REFRAME creates simple, durable frames made from recycled plastic, turning waste into something meaningful. We believe that frames are more than decoration — they shape how we see images, memories, and stories. Our goal is to make sustainable design accessible and part of everyday life.
Recycled plastic is a material with unrealized potential. It is strong, lightweight, and naturally expressive — every texture carries traces of its previous life. By using recycled plastic, REFRAME reduces waste and transforms it into something valuable and long-lasting. This material choice also makes each frame unique: no two textures are exactly the same.
Polygood by The Good Plastic Company
REFRAME designs modern, sustainable frames for prints, photos, posters, and small artworks. They are: — minimalist and timeless, — lightweight and durable, — available in standard and custom sizes, — easy to assemble and reuse.
Our frames fit into any interior — from calm home spaces to creative studios. Sustainability meets clarity, simplicity, and functional design.
Collections: Minimal / Gallery / Statement
Minimal — clean lines, soft textures, calm colors. Designed for everyday spaces.
Gallery — precise geometry, museum-inspired proportions, custom sizing for artworks.
Statement — expressive textures and bold forms made from highly visible recycled plastic fragments, сustom made.
Each collection offers a different way of framing — from subtle to expressive — while keeping the same sustainable core.
REFRAME fits naturally into modern living spaces. Neutral tones and organic plastic textures blend with wood, textiles, ceramics, and contemporary furniture. Whether it’s a photograph, a poster, or a favorite print, our frames help it find its place in your home.
REFRAME makes sustainable design easy to bring into your everyday life. The frames are affordable, durable, and designed to last. They give your space a clean, contemporary look while supporting responsible material use. A small object can change how a room feels — and how we think about the materials around us.
PART 3 — BRAND PRESENTATION (PROFESSIONAL AUDIENCE)
FRAMES AS DISPLAY TOOLS. FRAMES AS MATERIAL STATEMENTS. FRAMES AS PART OF ARTISTIC MEANING.
In contemporary exhibition practice, material is never neutral. Recycled plastic introduces a new visual and conceptual layer into the display system. Its texture, irregularity, and origin from post-consumer waste carry meaning. For curators and artists, this material becomes part of the narrative: it can support ecological themes, critique consumption, or shift the viewer’s expectations of «proper» display. REFRAME frames act as communicative elements within the exhibition environment — not just supports, but contributors to the work’s context.
REFRAME offers modular framing solutions designed for flexible exhibition needs. — custom dimensions for non-standard artworks — lightweight yet durable structure — easy assembly and disassembly — compatibility with wall mounting and free-standing display systems Modularity allows curators to adapt the framing system to different spaces and artworks, ensuring consistency without limiting artistic expression.
Beyond individual frames, REFRAME provides recycled-plastic display panels and lightbox-style frames for installations, photography, and mixed media. These systems are designed for: — temporary exhibitions — site-specific projects — traveling shows — hybrid media displays Their material presence subtly reframes the viewer’s encounter with the artwork, integrating sustainability into the visual communication of the exhibition.
In curatorial practice, the frame influences scale, focus, hierarchy, and the emotional tone of the work. Recycled-plastic frames introduce a specific aesthetic: slightly irregular, tactile, and visibly material. This shifts the viewing experience by: — drawing attention to materiality, — adding context to the artwork, — creating tension between content and display, — encouraging a more conscious reading of the visual image. REFRAME supports the idea that display is part of meaning-making.
REFRAME offers a display system that is both functional and conceptually relevant. Benefits include: — sustainable material with a clear narrative — museum-quality proportions — durability suitable for repeated use — lightweight construction for easy installation — consistency across exhibitions — custom orders for specific artistic practices For institutions working with ecological, social, or material-driven themes, the frames themselves become part of the exhibition language.
Example scenario: A contemporary photography exhibition explores themes of urban waste and transformation. REFRAME provides custom-size recycled-plastic frames with textures that echo the visual themes of the works. The display becomes a unified material statement: the photographs document the afterlife of objects, while the frames embody this transformation physically. The exhibition demonstrates how framing can extend the narrative of the artwork and deepen audience engagement.
PART 4 — THEORY → PRACTICE
REFRAME was built directly through communication theory. The brand connects physical framing with cognitive framing, showing how design choices influence perception, meaning, and context.
Framing Theory explains that different audiences interpret the same message through different cognitive frames.REFRAME applies this by creating two forms of communication: — general audience frame: accessible, simple, focused on sustainability and everyday use; — professional frame: material-driven, concept-focused, connected to curatorial and artistic practices. The message is the same, but the framing alters the meaning and relevance for each group.
Semiotic theory shows that materials carry meaning. Recycled plastic is not a neutral choice: it communicates ecological values, redefines the status of waste, and challenges traditional aesthetics of art display. In REFRAME, the material becomes part of the message. It reframes how value is assigned to objects and how viewers interpret the relationship between artwork, frame, and environment.
Polygood by The Good Plastic Company
A physical frame sets boundaries for an image — what is inside, what is outside, what becomes important. Cognitive framing works the same way: it shapes how we interpret meaning by selecting and highlighting specific aspects. REFRAME uses this parallel intentionally. The product becomes a metaphor for perception: a physical object that mirrors the conceptual process of framing in communication theory.
Critical theory emphasizes how design reflects social values and power structures. Choosing recycled plastic situates REFRAME within a responsible, material-aware design discourse. The brand challenges traditional luxury framing materials, reframes waste as resource, and invites viewers to reconsider material hierarchies. Thus, REFRAME participates in a broader cultural conversation about sustainability, aesthetics, and the social meaning of objects.
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