Do you do anything special to protect the art that isn't framed?
It's not like an oil paint on canvas that no one ever touches is in any dire danger. So no, we don't really do anything to protect it. I suppose a big earthquake might smash stuff up but at that point the art would be the least of our concern. We have a big geometric cut glass piece that is embedded on a piece of half inch lumber. If it ever crashes down I hope no one is standing under it, I worry about the floor. It's super heavy and mounted into the wall studs. I love it enough that I was willing to deal with it's weight. I don't think it's practically protectable but it might be in less peril than that which is under it. There is a small painting on a wood substrate that has some kind if shiny shellac over it. Your question makes me wonder if it should be framed because I could see it getting chipped if it fell but I think a frame might detract from the piece, I'm pretty sure the artist intended it to be displayed without a frame.