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From
an ancient dinosaur fossil sliding off a truck [1] to the world's
most expensive sculpture developing a hairline crack [2], shipment
of valuable artifacts can be hazardous. The good news is that sound
package design principles and skilled cargo handlers can prevent
most of this damage. The following cases describe some of our recent
projects at CCI, and illustrate various methods of coping with the
uncertainties of shipping fragile objects.
Sculptures by Hahn and Wood
In February 1996, we collaborated with the National Gallery of Canada
(NGC) to establish packaging strategies for 34 fragile plaster works
and one ceramic that were part of an exhibition featuring the work
of Emanuel Hahn and Elizabeth Wyn Wood. Each item would be handled
at least 10 times during the five-venue tour, so the risk of damage
was as great during exhibit installation and removal as during shipping.
Even skilled handlers would have difficulty placing the sculptures
on a hard flat display surface without damaging their fragile bases,
so a packing system incorporating a dual-purpose base serving both
display and transit functions was developed for the large hollow plaster
works.
The initial packing requirements were established using a multi-criteria
decision method to rank-order the various artworks based on size,
geometry, and stability of their surfaces [3]. The overall ranking
procedure took approximately 3 hours for all 35 works, and the top-ranking
sculpture was The Bard (Music).
We based the packing system for this sculpture on a double-case
design. The sculpture was contained inside a strong, rigid inner
shell which was floated on polyurethane foam cushions. The lower
portion of the outer packing case serves as a shipping container
and a display pedestal; and the packing and unpacking sequence does
not require manual handling of the sculpture at any time.
The highly fragile surface of the sculpture could not be used as
a load-bearing surface. Thus a foam- in-place technique was used
to hold the sculpture firmly inside the inner shell. This internal
support technique was developed and refined by Michael Harrington
and Paul Heinrichs of CCI. A barrier material between the foam-in-place
material and the interior surface of the sculpture ensures reversibility
of the procedure while avoiding any contact between the foam material
and the internal sculpture surface.
A full-size model of The Bard (Music) was fabricated by
Craig Johnson Restorations Ltd. to test the overall performance
of our packaging system in terms of operational characteristics
(ease of packing and unpacking) and effectiveness against handling
hazards. The model was similar to the original work in terms of
materials and construction but was even more fragile.
The remaining works were also packaged inside double-case systems.
The inner cases for the large works were made of wood, but smaller
works were grouped and packaged inside inner cases made of triple
wall cardboard [4]. Ethafoam supports were used to secure and immobilize
smaller works in the internal containers. These mounts now provide
long-term storage.
This careful attention to detail has paid off. After the tour,
which included stops in Kleinburg and London (Ontario), Halifax
(Nova Scotia), and Montreal (Quebec), all of the works were returned
to NGC without damage.
The Columna Serpiente
The Columna Serpiente is a hollow plaster work, approximately
2.5 m (8 feet) in height, by Spring Hurlbut of Toronto (Ontario).
It had not yet been fabricated when the artist contacted us for assistance.
The first planned venue for the piece was California, and she had
been considering executing the work on location due to concerns about
damage to the column during shipment. However, if a safe shipping
method could be found, her preference was to work in Toronto.
Based on a verbal description and a conceptual sketch of the work,
we proposed a double-case packaging system. Practical advice concerning
design of the containers, immobilization and support of the column,
and internal padding of the inner case were communicated to the
artist by phone and fax. Cushioning specifications were provided
based on an accurate estimate of the combined weight of the completed
work and its internal packing case. The need for the package to
be fastened securely to the transit vehicle was emphasized, and
the common carrier promised that this criterion would be met and
that an air-ride transit vehicle would be used for all road shipments.
The Columna Serpientewas subsequently created in Toronto,
and has been shipped to California, Mexico, and back to Toronto
without damage.
Charged Hearts Exhibit
A central element of the Charged Hearts exhibit by artist
Catherine Richards is a fragile glass terella that produces a glowing
display of ionized gas [5]. The terella structure consists of an
evacuated glass sphere approximately 50 cm in diameter, with a hollow
7-cm glass sphere (coated in graphite and containing a permanent
magnet) suspended on a metal rod inside the main enclosure. Concerned
that the terella might be harmed during shipment, the artist commissioned
the fabrication of two additional units. Unfortunately, both backup
units were damaged during final manufacturing. Therefore a conservative
packaging strategy was essential to ensure the original terella
would arrive at its destination in a fully functional state.
The main difficulty in designing an effective package for the terella
was to isolate and protect the internal glass sphere assembly, which
is highly sensitive to the vibration associated with road transport.
The flexibility of the internal sphere assembly prevented effective
isolation with conventional foam materials, and its inaccessibility
precluded bracing or other restraint methods for shipment.
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