Unframed

Unframed is an adjective describing something that is not enclosed by a frame. In art and visual display, unframed works include posters, photographs, prints, and canvases presented without a surrounding border or protective enclosure. The term contrasts with framed works, which are mounted behind glass or a rigid border and ready for hanging as sold.

In the art market and consumer culture, unframed options are common for posters and prints because they are cheaper to produce, ship, and customize. They are typically sold rolled in tubes or laid flat and can be mounted, matted, or framed by the buyer. Unframed canvases can also refer to canvas prints that are gallery-wrapped (stretched around a wooden frame) and displayed without an outer decorative frame; however, gallery-wrapped canvases are technically framed by the wooden stretcher bars, though they may appear frameless from the front.

Practical considerations include handling, protection, and presentation. Unframed works are more vulnerable to handling and environmental damage, especially when prints are finished on glossy or delicate surfaces. They also require the buyer to select a frame, mat, or mounting method to fit their space.

Beyond physical objects, "unframed" is used figuratively to describe openness or lack of constraints in storytelling, exhibition formats, or discussions, though such uses are context-dependent and not standardized.