How to send my fragile artworks abroad

When preparing my participation to the Funky Art Gallery Barcelona exhibition I was looking at how to ship the artworks there. The art works are with glass and quite fragile.

Step 1 Getting on Internet

Some advise I found:

Art box

Air Float Systems (http://www.airfloatsys.com) manufacturers Strong Boxes that come in multiple sizes with different custom foam inserts. Simply call them or visit their site and tell them where you reside and they will let you know of a dealer in your area where you can pick up a box to fit your artwork. You must give them all three dimensions (length, width and depth) of your framed piece to order the appropriate sized box. Strong boxes are a patented item and can be a bit pricey but are well worth the money to deliver your artwork safely. If you can't find a strong box in your area, a Mirror Pack Box might work for you.

In practice when not in US:

Step 1

Interesting when trying to order through the web; getting case of 5 strongboxes would cost around 450 USD for the size I was looking for. However...shipping it was...1100 USD. So I Continued my search for alternatives.

Art boxes for transporting framed art, in US but have asked if I can get them somewhere near Amsterdam. No answer received...http://www.airfloatsys.com

Mirror Pack Boxes:  

Step 2

These type of boxes are found at most moving companies or storage companies and are reasonably priced. If you have an artwork that has quite a bit of depth, then purchase two so that you can make the box deeper. The cardboard used for this type of box is quite thin so how you pack the actual artwork within the box is what is truly important to keeping the artwork safe from damage.

Insurance

It is highly recommended that you use a shipper who allows you to insure the art for its full value or at least the price in which it was sold. You should never ship artwork as "ground" service since it allows too much time for the piece to be damaged during transit. Insuring your shipment will secure gentler handling.

Didn't really find the right size, so then decided to take care of it myself.


Step 3

Creating my own box (on the right)
After all not too complex. Materials needed:
1. Wooden box that can be opened/closed with screws (had it made by 2. carpenter, around 150 EUR)
3. Sound isolation pads
4. Pipe isolation tubes

See for the steps below

Step1: cover bottom of the box with isolation material

Step2: put isolation tubes on the side

Step 4


Step 3 : wrap in bubble paper


Step 4: wrap in art bag
 
Step 5: Cover with Isolation pads


Step 6: Close the box



Ste 5

Step 6

Step 7: send in style ;)
Decorated it with ink and a street art posting, so it is clear that what's inside is FRAGILE !