This is the first in a series of short posts, looking at art in transit and how to make the journey safe – everything from the criteria for deciding if a work can be shipped at all, to packing considerations, to the role of the courier. It draws on the expertise of MMA staff, especially Julie Bronson (Collections Administrator) and Jennifer Petteplace (Installation and Preservation Officer) as well as handbooks on Museum standards from some of the largest institutions in North America.

Part I: Consenting to Loan Art

The McMaster Museum of Art loans works in its collection to exhibitions at major galleries around the globe. Recent loans within Canada include works of art by Otto Dix, Alexej von Jawlensky, Shelagh Keeley, William Kurelek, Henri Matisse, Ben Nicholson and Egon Schiele.

The decision to loan artwork is not taken lightly—the more a work is moved and handled, the greater the risk of damage. Here are some of the criteria that must first be considered:

1. The Condition and Fragility of the Artwork

Is it stable (no loose paint, no history of instability) and in good condition?

Is it particularly sensitive to changes in temperature, humidity, vibrations and shock?

Has work recently been exhibited? Prolonged light exposure is a problem for some materials and pigments and must be considered. (See Light, Ultraviolet and Infrared article from Canadian Conservation Insitute.)

If the Museum receives a loan request for a delicate work, the Museum may request advice from CCI (Canadian Conservation Institute) or call in a conservator at the expensive of the borrower to determine if the artwork is stable enough to travel.

A full condition report is prepared by the Museum and institutions it lends to before any art is packed and after it is unpacked (that’s 4 reports for a work loaned to an exhibition and then returned.)