For over twenty-five years, Fine Art Shippers has been finding solutions to complex art transportation issues and working out how to make art logistics services as transparent as possible. While true professionals will never lose their appeal, some might question their necessity. Is artwork delivery really that difficult? And can one successfully ship a work of art without professional help? This question is difficult to answer in one sentence, as it includes a lot of nuances.
Is Successful Artwork Delivery Possible Without Expert Assistance?
Here is a question for you: what goes into artwork delivery? All art handlers agree that a good art delivery service is safe and efficient. But how does one achieve that?
Packing
Packing is incredibly important to ensuring the safety of valuables during transportation. You probably already have an idea of what art packing might look like. Most people have used cardboard boxes for packing at least once, as they are some of the most versatile packaging supplies out there. But you cannot successfully deliver a painting or a sculpture by simply putting it in a box and taping it. Professional fine art shippers use an array of tools and materials to protect artwork during transit. Some packaging types, such as art crates, are custom-made in specialized workshops, so you will not find them at regular supply stores.
Transportation
This step seems easy enough, right? You might think that once an item is packaged, it makes virtually no difference how it is transported. However, you could not be more wrong. In fact, packaging is only part of what makes artwork shipping safe. No piece will survive transit if it is shipped in an unsuitable vehicle. This is where art trucks come in handy. These vehicles can protect works of art from almost anything, starting from harsh weather conditions and ending with art thieves.
Installation
Once a piece arrives at its destination, the last stage of artwork delivery begins. Fine art installation is undeniably a crucial part of the process. If something goes wrong at the moment of installation, a precious work of art can be lost forever. Needless to say, knowing how to hammer a nail into the wall is not enough to properly install priceless art for an exhibition at a museum or gallery.
So, what is the answer to our initial question? We want to say it depends. While some pieces can definitely be shipped in a cardboard box by mail, others are simply too fragile and valuable to be handled unprofessionally.