Many times I have encountered collectors who believed that by increasing their insurance coverage they would minimise the risk of damage to their artworks. Unfortunately, this is not true. A comprehensive insurance policy can reduce the risk of financial loss in case of damage. However, it does nothing to minimise the risk of exposure to damage itself.
So how shall you proceed instead?
ARTWORKS IN STORAGE
Security measures
Make sure that your storage facility disposes of efficient security measures against burglary. This is often a requirement to be granted insurance coverage, particularly if you are storing high-value items.
Lights and Climate
Temperature and humidity level shall remain constant at all times (ideally, 20°C and 50% r.H. with minimal variations of 2°C and 5% humidity within a 24-h cycle). The lights should not contain any fluorescence and should be turned off when nobody is in storage. Ensure that no direct sunlight enters the storage room.
Fire and Water
Smoke detectors, fire containment doors and water sprinkles are just some of the available measures to protect your collection from fire and their functionality should be verified on a regular basis. The most modern storage infrastructures may also be able to reduce oxygen levels in their facilities to prevent fire from spreading. The same system can be activated to decontaminate a collection from worms and insects.
Please ensure that objects with high contamination risk and/or inflammable potential be stored in separate closed containers. Example of such objects may be ancient thermometers containing quicksilver, historic gas stoves, early film rolls, electrical items with damaged cables, asbestos or mold contaminated items.
Large objects shall obstruct neither the water sprinkles nor the smoke detectors. Keeping at least 20-30cm between the item and the smoke detectors is recommended.
Keep the storage tidy and uncluttered. Objects should not be stored too close to potential sources of heat, such as electricity panels.
Do not place any item directly on the floor, but make use of pallets and shelves. This will ensure a minimum protection in case of water flood. Water detectors can also alert you in case of leaks and thus help protect your collection from damage.
Pest Control
Old textiles, canvases, wooden sculptures and pieces of furniture may be contaminated with worms and insects. Make sure to have the objects quarantined, professionally cleaned and de-contaminated before placing them in storage with the rest of your collection.
Subsequently, do not bring any food, drinks or other organic material into storage to avoid future contamination.
ARTWORKS IN TRANSIT
Packing
The fine art industry offers numerous specialised packing solutions, from climatized wooden crates to cardboard boxes and acid-free paper. The best packaging for your artwork is not always the most expensive.
For example, artworks in storage are usually better conserved unpacked. A framed and glazed drawing may be perfectly safe to travel by road across Europe in a cardboard package, while an ancient ceramic vase may need a fully climatized crate, even for the shortest shipment.
Consult a conservator, a registrar or a fine art shipper, if you're in doubt.
Specialized shipper
Always use the services of a specialised fine art shipping company for transporting your artworks. Trying your luck with a standard carrier is not worth it. Display Fine Art Services created a funny video on Youtube, which clearly shows why:
Courier and Airport Supervision
In the 21st century, sending a physical courier to accompany an artwork on its trip around the globe should not be standard praxis anymore. However, it may still be required from time to time, for example when the work is particularly fragile or difficult to install at destination.
If you are afraid that the crated work will not be handled properly at the airport, consider asking your shipping agent to organise Tarmac supervision or, if possible, work with a bookend courier.
Palletization
When travelling by aircraft, the crated artworks will be loaded onto a pallet or container. Ask your Airport Supervisor to ensure that no inflammable goods be packed on the same pallet / container with your work. Additionally, you can also request that no item be stacked on top of your crate, as the space above your crate is usually included in the flight rate and you pay for it ("non-stackable rate").
Waiting Time at the Airport
From time to time, your artwork may be subject to waiting time at the airport. This may be due to the flight being cancelled or delayed. Other times, the flight may be scheduled to arrive at its destination late in the evening and the work may need to remain at the airport until the next day, when it can be customs cleared and collected by your chosen agent.
In such cases, the Airport Supervisor can ensure that your work will be placed in a secured, closed storage room on-site. You also have the right to request information or a facility report of the airport storage. Please note that not every airport storage is climatized. Without Airport Supervisor, your work may be left unattended in the cargo area, with an increased risk of mishandling or misplacement.
I generally also recommend to avoid booking your artworks on flights landing late on Friday evening or over the weekend, as they may need to stay at the airport until Monday morning (unless you decide to pay additional fees for collecting on Saturday / Sunday).
As Little Movements as Possible
It is no secret that the vast majority of damages happen in transit or during handling. Therefore, consider reducing the movements of your artworks to the bare minimum. Relocate them only when strictly necessary. There is no shame in setting a yearly limit to the loan and display time of your most fragile works.
ARTWORKS DURING HANDLING
Experienced Art Handling Team
The artworks shall always be packed, installed and overall handled by experienced staff. Inexperienced interns, volunteers and other untrained personnel shall not be allowed to handle works of art.
No Stress or Distractions
The appointed art handling team shall always be given enough time to perform their tasks. Pressuring the team to unpack and install within unrealistic deadlines may only increase the risk of injuries, accidents and damage to the works.
I recommend avoiding any external source of stress and distraction, such as the presence of journalists, reporters and the organisation of guided "sneak-peak tours" behind the scenes for visitors.
I do understand the curiosity that the installation of an exhibition awakes in the public. Nevertheless, in the past I have tried to combine the presence of journalists, art handlers and a full installation schedule to make curators, directors and PR teams happy. It was a miserable, uncomfortable experience. Hence, my heart-felt recommendation: make sure your art handling team has the quiet it needs to focus on its tasks without distractions and arrange any press days after all works have been installed.
Equipment
Please ensure to give your art handling team the tools they need to perform their tasks safely. This may include a vertical lift to reach very high spots, packing tables, foam blocks, enough light in the room, etc.
Clean Gloves
Always wear clean, white cotton or nitrile gloves when handling artworks. Additionally, avoid touching the surface of the work whenever possible: paintings shall be hand-carried from the sides and/or the stretcher on the verso, while sculptures may be lifted by placing a hand on the bottom and the other hand on the back of the work (if the shape and weight of the work allows it, of course).
Space for Movements
Before unpacking an artwork, make sure to prepare the room by removing obstacles and setting up the tools needed for uncrating and installation. This will give the art handlers a safe space for movements.
Pre-Installation Meeting
Before undertaking any art handling task, it would be a good idea for the art handlers to agree on an unpacking and installation plan. Where shall the lid of the crate be placed after opening? Shall the painting be placed on foam blocks against a wall before hanging or shall it remain in the crate? Is a hanging system available on the back of the canvas or shall one be installed? Is the wall actually wide enough for the painting?
Art handlers often work in pairs. Who will be the Head Art Handler? Who will be working with whom?
ARTWORKS ON DISPLAY
Every single day hundreds of visitors may enter your exhibition space and get close to the artworks on display to see them better. Unfortunately, having a visitor stumbling upon a sculpture or involuntarily scraping a painting with its large bag happen more often than we would like.
Number of visitors
Make sure that visitors have enough space to move in the exhibition rooms by setting a limit to the number of people allowed to simultaneously access them. If you can, do not organise crowded events in the exhibition space, but make use of foyers, terraces and dedicated event rooms.
Food, Drinks, Jackets and Bags
Eating and drinking should be strictly prohibited in the rooms, where artworks are stored and exhibited. You can also ask your visitors to leave large bags and jackets in the dedicated wardrobes before entering the exhibition space.
Secure Little Objects
Vitrines can help protect small and fragile objects from theft and damage. On the market there are all sort of vitrines - from simple Plexiglas covers to climatized cases with anti-reflex, anti-UV rays and security glas.
If the use of a vitrine does not fit the curatorial concept, you may opt for discreet metallic anchors to secure the sculptures to their pedestals.
Paintings can also be secured to the wall with T-head screws, wall brackets, hooks or D-rings to prevent theft and earthquake damage.
Climate and Lights
In both the exhibition rooms and storage, where the empty packages are located, the climate shall remain constant at all times (ideally, 20°C and 50% r.H. with maximal variations of 2°C and 5% humidity within 24 hours).
The exposure of the artworks to light sources shall be reduced to a minimum by limiting the light intensity and turning off the lights completely, when the museum is closed. If the exhibition space presents windows or skylights, there should be options available to reduce the intensity of natural light, such as curtains, blinds or foil. Installing anti-UV window glas would also be great, if the budget allows it.
Vitrines that contain very light-sensitive objects, such as manuscripts and other works on paper, may also be covered with a black blanket after opening hours.
Invigilators and Conservators
Organise stationary and/or patrolling invigilators in the exhibition space to keep an eye on visitors and most fragile objects.
In the best-case scenario, a conservator shall also regularly inspect the exhibition rooms and verify that the condition of the objects has not changed over time. If this is not possible on a regular basis, have a conservator train your invigilators and report to him, should they notice anything unusual in an artwork on display.
Alarm Systems and Barriers
To prevent visitors to get too close to an artwork, you may use physical barriers or mark a security line on the floor with tape. A more sophisticated option is a battery powered infrared alarm system, which can be installed on the ceiling above the work and makes a sound, if a visitor comes too close.
Please kindly note that the above list of recommendations is not exhaustive. Further measures can and may be undertaken depending on the circumstances and type of artworks.