Packing and Shipping Fine Art
Just a few more months till Nuu Muse Gallery’s brick-and-mortar moves to Chelsa, NY! The new location is getting rebranded to Sims Contemporary to fit the vibrant art market in New York. You can find the new gallery’s website here: simscontemporary.com. We are excited for you to join us on this new journey. With that said, Nuu Muse Gallery still has big plans. Nuu Muse will exhibit and support emerging artists through a monthly online exhibition. If you are not familiar with our online exhibition you can find the details here: exhibition FAQ. As we started to pack and ship artwork for the upcoming move, we thought it would be a great time to share tips on proper handling of fine artwork.
Proper packing and shipping are crucial aspects of the fine art world, as they directly impact the integrity and value of artwork during transit. Artwork of any medium can be sensitive to environmental factors such as temperature, humidity, and physical shock. Without careful handling and appropriate packaging, artwork risks damage, deterioration, or loss, which can significantly diminish its aesthetic and monetary value. Preserving the integrity of fine art during shipping ensures that it reaches the final destination undamaged.
Knowing your art medium before shipping is important as they all have special packing requirements:
-Paintings can be one of the easier mediums to pack as canvas tends to be pretty robust. However, care should still be taken—padding the corners with bubble wrap or thick cardboard edges, then thoroughly wrapping the corners/edges with stretch wrap is our preferred method. It is also recommended to protect the front with acid-free paper if the painting has mixed media or a heavy impasto. If the painting is framed make sure to take extra caution on the corners as frames can easily get damaged if the box gets dropped when shipping. Picking the right size box for your canvas is crucial. We recommend getting a box that is a few inches bigger than the canvas so you have room for additional packing materials. You do not want your canvas to “fit like a glove” nor do you want it to shift around in the box.
-Sculptures can be made from a variety of materials such as clay, metal, wood, and even glass. Each material and finished sculpture requires a unique packing solution, so it can be hard to recommend one great solution. A few examples we can share are: with ceramics they tend to need more cushioning and internal support if it is a complex shape. Using egg crate foam is one of the best packing materials for this; glass sculptures might require custom cradles or inserts to support and secure the artwork in the container. Just like paintings, you do not want your sculpture to rattle in the box, so ensure you pack enough material in and around your artwork.
-Fine art prints can be one of the harder mediums to pack due to the hectic nature of the transit process. Depending on the size of your print you have the options to roll or flat pack them. Rolling the print into a tube ensures the corners/edges will not get bent or torn however, you will need to let the paper relax once unrolled. Flat shipping packets can be hard to come by for prints larger than 9”x12”, plus there is a risk to bent edges if you do not pack them correctly. The packet should be lined in thicker cardboard and slightly larger than the prints. Also, for either option, it is recommended to include acid-free tissue paper in between each print to prevent ink bleeds.
For all artworks it is important to properly seal and label the box, container, crate, etc. to inform the shippers and the person on the receiving end the best way to handle said package. For most packing containers you will need to use high-quality packing tape to seal seams and openings to prevent any moisture or debris from entering. Also, label the container with detailed handling instructions such as “Fragile” or “Handle with Care”. Including directional arrows can help crates and boxes from being mishandled during transit (although, in our case they are not always followed). Providing instructions on opening any special containers is important too. For example, wooden art crates tend to have latches or screws that need to be undone. If this is not specified, it could be pried open, which will ruin the lid of the wooden crate.
The last point we will touch on is documenting the condition of the artwork before you pack as it is important for insurance purposes. Plus, it establishes a baseline for its condition. Having detailed documentation (like photographs and written descriptions of current damages) can provide evidence if the artwork gets lost or damaged in transit. It also allows you to compare the artwork once you receive it back from a gallery. Documenting shows a level of professionalism as it installs confidence in clients (whether that is the buyer or gallery director) and insures them of the integrity of the shipment.
