wandmontage

Wandmontage is a term used primarily in German-language discourse to describe a method of presenting a sequence of images—photographs, film frames, or video stills—on a wall or wall-like display to create a narrative or thematic progression. The word combines Wand (wall) and Montage (montage or editing). In practice, wandmontage can refer to a gallery installation where a curator arranges pictures in a spatial sequence on a surface, or to a projection or printed panel that guides viewer perception through time and space, similar to traditional film montage but integrated into the physical viewing environment. The approach emphasizes spatial arrangement, rhythm, and the viewer's movement through a space.

Techniques commonly involve arranging frames in a grid or linear path, controlling pacing by spacing and grouping, and sometimes layering media (photos, text, or video) on a single surface. It can be static, with a fixed sequence, or dynamic, using changing projections or touch-enabled interactivity. In cinema studies, wandmontage is discussed as a form of spatial montage that leverages architectural context to shape narrative or documentary rhythm, rather than purely editing cuts.

Wandmontage appears in discussions of early 20th-century German avant-garde practices, as well as in contemporary art installations and museum pedagogy where wall-based sequences guide interpretation. It intersects with installation art, wall projection, and narrative display, offering a means to curate time-based material within a physical space. See also montage, installation art, wall projection, visual narrative.