Storage And Transportation Of Art Objects

Storage and Transportation of Art Objects
ENGI/HUMA 240
Matthew Wettergreen, PhD

Lifetime of the Art Object
Condition
Report
Transportation
(inside museum)
Transportation
(outside museum)
Accession
Storage

Accession / Condition Report

Condition Report
Falls under the Registrar
Report of the condition of the art object
Includes drawing of the object with noted abnormalities
Written description of damage or aging
Often includes imaging data

Transportation (inside museum)

Transportation (inside museum)
Uses art handling best practices
“Low” risk
Applies individual museum’s standard guidelines

Storage

Storage
“The basic principle of art storage is to keep the object in a physically secure environment but yet permit ready access for inspection”
Why is this needed?
Museum collections grow ~1.5% per year
Less than 10% of most collections are shown

What does Storage do for your Museum?
Organizes space efficiently
Facilitates access to collections
Provides physical support
Provides environmental protection
Encourages logical organization
Reinforces good handling practices

Issues with Non-Dedicated Storage
Crowded hallways
Carelessness
Environmental issues
Accidents
Heavy traffic
Empty packing crates

Storage Planning
Begins with organizational requirements
Dependent upon size, value, composition, physical needs of art objects
Factors in size and nature of storage space
Requires decision of nature and frequency of collection usage
Dependent upon institution’s budget
1985, per year cost per object was $65
Optimally separate from normal traffic

Guidelines for Storage Selection
Avoid false economies
Stable, non-reactive materials
Focus on modularity
Object requirements dictate storage choice
Elevate objects
Segregation of storage from normal usage
Weight, size, sensitivity

Types of Storage
Open Storage
Closed Storage
Shelving
Vertical racks
Dollies
Pallets
Lockers
Cabinets

Open Storage
Designed for objects too heavy for cabinets
Designed for objects too large for cabinets
Objects are highly visible and accessible
Offers zero environmental control
Materials
Wood: pallets
Steel: shelving
Aluminum: Racks

Shelving
Designed for objects to large or heavy for cabinets
Coverings
Covered with plastic
Placed behind waterproof/dustproof curtains
Design
Uprights and horizontals
Baked on enamel
Constructed of nuts and bolts
Can be cantilevered
Advantages
Flexible construction
Varied widths

Vertical Racks
Traditionally for paintings
Pull out racks
Space efficient
Design
rigid metal frame supporting a grill
objects are suspended on the grill
Advantages
high visibility
mobile racks are space efficient
Disadvantages
weight support for heavy objects
improper securing can result in warped objects

Pallets /Dollies
Perfect for large objects
Boats, skulls
Minerals, fossils
Design
Wood or metal
May include casters
Advantages
cushioning from shock, vibration, abrasion
may be covered with a tarp
Disadvantages
Space inefficient

Closed Storage
Designed for smaller objects
Offers environmental protection
Offers additional accident protection
Greater degree of control

Cabinets
Provide the greatest protection from all manners of risks
Solidly constructed, gasketed, metal case
lockable = high security
solid doors = light exclusion
Solid construction = minimize water leaks and flooding
Well sealed = buffers contents
humidity
temperature
pests
particulates
gaseous pollutants
Design
steel with 11-16 gauge frame with 18-20 gauge skin
powder coated steel
white coating is best for temperature and display of dust
available in multiple sizes, depths and drawer heights

Cabinets (continued)
Versatile options:
rollout shelves, drawers, flat trays, screens, slide-out surfaces, desiccant drawers, metal rods for tubes, bars for hanging
may be configured for entomology or botany
Gasket Design
poly(dymethylsiloxane), PDMS
poly(diphenylsiloxane), PDPS
ethylene vinyl acetate (closed cell), EVA
ethylene propylene diene monomer, EPDM

Mobile Storage
Combination of open/closed
Augments existing storage solution
Highest space efficiency
Requires weight calculations for floor limits

Compactors
Banks mounted on platforms moving along tracks
think of as “moving shelves”
Requires weight calculations of floor capacity
Propelling system
manual
assisted manual
electrical
Cabinets and shelving systems can be mounted onto mobile compactors
Lockable = added security

Transportation (outside museum)

Issues with Transportation
Vibration
Shock
Impact
Human error
Different facilities
Accidents

Transportation (outside museum)
High risk
Involves the use of crates
Uses a principle of “most cushioning”
Assumes the object will experience vibration, shock, damage
Packed for unknown conditions and unknown handlers

Crates
Wood frame
Individually constructed
Built from stock wood and fasteners
Inner support structure
Sometimes wood
Foam
Wrapper surrounding object

Crate Design

Anatomy of a Crate

Anatomy of a Crate (2)

Crate Design (3)

Your Semester project:create your own storage system

Picture References
Slide 2
http://texasarchitect.blogspot.com/2009/07/tsa-2009-cornerstone-award-john-and.html
http://www.fineartship.com/2009/04/the-condition-report-quick-start-rules/
http://www.logar.co.at/e/nonpublicspaces.htm
http://www.fineartship.com/images/crating_C.jpg
Slide 5
http://www.fineartship.com/2009/04/the-condition-report-quick-start-rules/
Slide 7
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2174/2098729951_2dcaf7260b.jpg
http://photos.jpgmag.com/1379494_204492_3fefc2693e_p.jpg
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_hsTuDxtqI7c/Sa8ca293zII/AAAAAAAAJN4/bO-xc1X-CwQ/s400/8.jpg
Slide 14
http://www.meyermat.com/Images/n-dolly(umnrg2).jpg
http://www.montel.com/images/img_products/art-rack_movable-panels/141_1.jpg
http://www.ifurn.com/pics/8/studio-designs/flat-file-storage-cabinet.RTA607A.1.800.jpg
Slide 16
http://filesdown.esecure.co.uk/museumID/GlasgowOpenStorage.jpg_17072009-1327-26.jpg
Slide 17
http://museum.spacesaver.com/DefaultFilePile/Public/Museum/MuseumContent/art_01.jpg
http://www.hdfiles.com/images/Art%20Rack/Art%20Rack%20Sliding%20Shelving%20System.JPG
http://www.hdfiles.com/images/Art%20Rack/Art%20Rack%20Shelving%20Storage%20Systems.jpg

Picture References
Slide 20
http://montel.com
Slide 23
http://www.hdfiles.com/images/Art%20Rack/Art%20Rack%20Storage%20That%20Condenses%20Art%20Storage.JPG
Slide 25
http://artransintl.com/images/crate_symbols.png
Slide 27, 28
http://www.flickr.com/photos/39016610@N06/
Slide 29
http://www.fineartship.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/img_69083.jpg
Slide 30
http://www.flickr.com/photos/39016610@N06/
Slide 31
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2146/2386729423_00a06df1b8.jpg
http://rebul.com.au/media/images/sculpture-from-below.jpg