Atelier-du-Bac

CONSERVATION AND SAFETY CONDITIONS

In this document, we set out the conservation and safety conditions for ………works of art to be lent by ………….to ……….. for the …… exhibition from ……… to …………….

The document covers all the usual matters concerning the transport and exhibition of works of art.

INTRODUCTION

The terms for the loan must be approved, initialed and signed by the person designated for this purpose by the institution organizing the exhibition, and returned to …………. with a copy by e-mail to ………………

The Standard Facility Report, the thermo-hygrometric measurements of the exhibition rooms for the previous year (same date of the exhibition), verification reports of the air-conditioning system and fire-prevention equipment, the insect-eradication monitoring report and the timetable of the exhibition must be sent to the attention of ……… at the following e-mail address: ……………..and by post to the following address: …………. The loan will only be effective after examination of these documents.

The conservator-restorer of ……………. will be in charge of the preparation of the works of art. The conservator-restorer or the courier of ……….. will assist and oversee all unpacking and packing operations, the final installation, the lighting of the works of art, the fixing of descriptive labels, the distancing of the works of art (if necessary), as well as the dismantling and packing.  For security reasons, the lender may request an increase in the number of the security agent in the rooms of the exhibition.

If this is an itinerant exhibition, these terms must be approved and signed by all the organizing museums and institutions.

I. TRANSPORT OF THE WORKS OF ART 

A) Packing and transport

1. The method of packing, the manufacture of crates and the transport of the works of art shall be decided by their owner.

2. ….’s conservator-restorer or …..’s courier shall be responsible for the preparation of the works of art and will assist and oversee all packing and unpacking operations.

3. The packing, transportation, unpacking, installation and dismantling of the works of art must be done by staff specialized in handling works of art.

4. The manufacture of the crates, packing of the works of art and corresponding export formalities (temporary export, certificates, customs, timetable of the operations…) must be done by a company specialized in packing works of art, which will be chosen by their owner.

5. If the packing company does not also take charge of transportation of the works of art, the crates must be delivered to the appointed carrier on the day of departure. The owner of the works of art reserves the right to not accept the carrier chosen by the organizing institution.

6. The timetable and the transportation dates, and, if applicable, the place planned for an overnight stop, as well as the Facilities Report, shall be notified to …., whenever possible, 30 days before the date scheduled for the departure of the works of art.

8. If works of art from other lenders are to be carried with the works of art lent by …., ….. must be informed of the total number of crates to be loaded in this shipment, the loading plan, the origin of the works of art, the places where they are to be picked up and delivered, and the itinerary, etc.

9. If there are other places of exhibition, …. must be provided with the itinerary for transportation between the exhibition venues 30 days after the beginning of the first exhibition venue.

B) Transport by truck

1. The trucks used must be equipped with hydraulic or complete pneumatic suspension, an elevating tailgate and air conditioning. The air conditioning must be powered by an electric auxiliary motor with socket three-phase and must remain in continuous operation. If these conditions are not met, the ….. courier is authorized to prevent the crates from being loaded. There must be a calibrated electronic measuring device in the truck when the crates are loaded.

2. The crates must not be piled on top of one another inside the truck. All material in the truck must be securely fastened. Climbing on the crates while they are being positioned is formally prohibited. All crates must be fastened securely. The loading plan must be sent to …… before the date of departure. The distance between the last crate and the door of the truck must be 1 meter minimum. If, in the opinion of the accompanying ….. courier, there is not a sufficient number of trucks, the ….. courier may refuse to allow the crates to be loaded.

3. The transport shall take place without intermediate stopovers, and the crates shall be delivered directly to the organizing institution. If the trip cannot be completed within the maximum authorized driving time, the trucks must be parked in covered, locked, air-conditioned and guarded warehouses, with alarms. In this event, the crates shall remain in the trucks and must not be unloaded under any circumstance.

4. The accompanying …… courier must be informed of the transportation itinerary. Legislation applicable to road transportation must be respected at all times. The ….. courier is entitled to see the schedule.

5. The selected carrier must confirm by e-mail its agreement to meet all the conditions of the owner of the works of art. In the event of a stop-over, if the warehouses do not meet the owner’s conditions, the ….. courier is authorized to prevent the trucks from parking and to demand that another qualified driver replace the one who has already driven his maximum time.

C) Transport by plane

1. The final loading onto pallets must be done in the presence of the ….. courier and no change may be made in his absence.

2. The crates may not, under any circumstance, be stacked on top of one another. If there is not a sufficient number of pallets, the …. courier may refuse to have the crates loaded.

3. Depending on the number of crates, the owner of the works of art reserves the right to demand a whole pallet. All goods placed beside the works of art must necessarily be verified by the …. courier. The crates must be separated and protected by sheets of plastic.

4. A forwarding agent appointed by …. shall accompany the crates from where they are loaded onto a pallet to where they are loaded into the plane hold. Similarly, when the aircraft arrives at its destination, if he cannot accompany them, the organizing institution shall hire a duly-approved security agent to replace him.

5. The crates must never be left unattended at any time. During the plane boarding procedures carried out by the …. courier, the forwarding agent must provide another person to guard the crates. Only on the forwarding agent’s confirmation of the final loading of the crates into the plane hold may the …. courier board the plane.

6. The …. courier must be present when the crates are unloaded from the pallet on the plane’s arrival.

7. For the transfer from the airport to the exhibition venue, at least two people must be assigned to load and unload the pallets.

8. In the event of joint transport of works of art belonging to different parties, the …. forwarding agent must provide sufficient trucks to transfer the crates individually to each place of storage.

D) Arrival, unpacking and packing

1. The work of art will be at the place of exhibition about five days before the inauguration. At the end of the exhibition, it must be dismantled and packed on the first day of the dismantling of the exhibition. The lender reserves the right to choose the dates of transport for the return of the work of art.

2. Trolleys with air wheels (inflatable tyre) must be used to move the crates.

3. The ….. courier must be present at the handling and unpacking of the crates.

4. The packing, transportation, unpacking, hanging and taking down or installation and dismantling of the works of art must be done by staff specialized in handling works of art.

5. In order to verify that the required conservation and safety conditions are complied with, the …. courier must check the building, the exhibition rooms, the showcases and the locations planned for the works of art before they are installed. The crates may not be opened before this verification has been effected. If the conservation conditions are not met, the owner is entitled to refuse to let the works of art be unpacked.

II. INSTALLATION AND DISMANTLING OF THE WORKS OF ART

1. The installation plan for the works of art must be notified to …. at the latest 15 days before the start of the installation. The walls in the exhibition area must have been painted at least 15 days prior to the start of the installation.

2. The security agents must be present in the exhibition rooms both on the arrival and on the departure of the works of art; they must also be present during their installation and dismantling.

3. All work needed prior to the installation of the works of art in the exhibition (painting, electrical installation, video …), must be completed before they are installed. The technical data sheet of the paint used for the walls must be notified to …..

4. The packing and transportation, unpacking, installation and dismantling of the works of art shall be done by staff specialized in the handling of works of art.

5. The crates must be placed directly in the exhibition rooms. They must be opened and the works of art unpacked at least 24 hours after their arrival in the exhibition rooms.

6. The packing and unpacking of the works of art shall be done in the exhibition rooms. Access to the exhibition rooms shall be prohibited for anyone who is not involved in the tasks of installing or dismantling the works of art (journalists, etc.).

7. Each unpacked work of art must be installed before the next crate is opened.

8. The works of art must never be placed directly on the floor.

9. Nitrile gloves (without talcum powder) must be worn to handle the works of art. These gloves must be available during the entire process of their installation and dismantling.

10. No touch-up of the wall paint in the exhibition area, nor construction work of any kind may be done after the works of art have been hung.

11. The works of art may only be hung on solid walls (temporary or permanent) in the exhibition rooms. Should panels be used to protect the walls in the exhibition building, they must be fixed.

12. The system used to hang the works of art must be fixed, using a security fasteners chosen by the owner, and must be approved by the museum’s insurers. Picture rails may not be used.

13. Works of art not protected by Mirogard or Plexiglas must be placed at a distance from the public by a raised platform at least 30 cm high, a visual barrier (antiskid adhesive tape in colour), or a “fixed” barrier about 45 to 60 cm off the floor at a distance of at least 80 cm from the work of art. The letters used for the labels must be legible to visitors at a distance of 1 meter.

14. The system used for fixing the descriptive labels shall under no circumstance cause vibrations at the level of the works of art (double-sided adhesive mounting tape, silicone…)

15. Works of art not protected by Mirogard or Plexiglas, as well as fragile works of art may only be installed once the neighboring works of art have been hung. The floor in the exhibition rooms must be clean.

16. Once the works of art have been hung, no change may be made without the owner’s prior agreement.

17. After the close of the exhibition, the crates must be placed in the exhibition rooms and opened in the presence of the ….. courier. If the crates were stored correctly, at least 15 hours must elapse before the works of art are placed in them. However, if the storage conditions for the crates were not satisfactory, at least 24 hours will be required before they may be packed.

III. PROTECTION OF THE WORKS OF ART DURING THE EXHIBITION

A) Thermo-hygrometric conditions

1. The usual storage place, the transit premises and the exhibition rooms must be equipped with thermo hygrometers the calibration certificates of which are less than three months old.

2. During the exhibition of the works of art, the crates must be stored in a clean, protected place with thermo-hygrometric conditions similar to those of the exhibition rooms. At the close of the exhibition, the state of conservation of the crates must be the same as that on their arrival. The condition of the crates must be verified before storage.

3. A photocopy of the thermo-hygrometric measurements must be sent to …. once a week throughout the exhibition.

4. The air conditioning shall be in operation 24 hours a day, including on weekends and holidays. Before the exhibition, the installation must be controlled and the antipollution filtres must be changed. A report shall be sent to the lender.

5. The owner of the works of art must be informed immediately of any major changes in temperature and humidity, and of any breakdowns in the air-conditioning system.

6. The level of relative humidity must be between 50% +/- 5% and the temperature between 20º +/- 2°. However, a level of relative humidity of not more than 50% (or less) may be required for certain objects that are very sensitive to humidity. These objects must be installed in air-conditioned showcases.

7. No work of art may be installed near a source of heat, air conditioning or a fan.

B) Lighting of the works of art

1. The level of lighting for oil paintings must not exceed 150 lux.

2. The level of lighting for watercolours, drawings, photo colors, prints and very sensitive paintings must not exceed 50 lux. The sources of light shall be double-coated fluorescent tubes that emit no ultraviolet rays. If such tubes are not available, ordinary fluorescent tubes may be used, combined, if need be with filters that absorb ultraviolet rays, or incandescent lamps with UV Stop. The value observed on the surface of the works of art must not exceed 10 µ W/ lumen. The index of the CRI colour rendering shall be higher than 90. The colour temperature must be roughly 3000° Kelvin. If natural light is admitted, the infrared rays must be severely limited and ultraviolet rays totally blocked. Insulating windows, anti-UV adhesive films and blinds or curtains must be installed. The …. courier must be verified the level of the lux with the mixed natural light and the other sources of light at different hours of the day.

3.  For extremely fragile works of art, the duration of exposure to 50 lux must not exceed 1000 hours per year.

4. For the most fragile objects, mixed techniques and other special cases, the lighting shall be indicated by the ….. conservator during the installation.

5. Outside opening hours, the lighting of the works of art must be reduced. The …. courier must verify this lighting and may require a change of location for the most fragile works of art.

6. There must be a calibrated lux meter in the area where the works of art are on exhibit.

7. It must be possible for the …. courier to verify the lux level on the work of art before leaving the exhibition. If his circumstances do not allow him to do so, the organizing institution must pay accommodation costs and additional fees to enable him to undertake this verification.

C) Showcases 

1. Specifications of the showcases (materials, bracing, lighting, air-tightness…), their position in the exhibition area, the security system and their distance from the public shall be sent to the lender with a signed copy of the conditions of conservation. Depending on the fragility of the objects to be exhibited, the lender reserves the right to request changes or to specify adjustments. The lender must receive photographs or drawings of the stands planned for the showcases. If the showcases are not in compliance with the specifications, the owner of the works of art reserves the right to reject their installation. The bases of the showcases shall be equipped with a “reinforcement” of 10cm or a bar set in the floor to prevent feet from striking into them.

2. The interior of the showcases for ceramics, sculptures, graphic documents, etc., must be painted with acrylic or vinyl emulsion paint (for photographs only acrylic emulsions may be used) at least 4 weeks before the placing of the exhibits inside them.

3. The exhibits must never be in contact with the paint. A piece of non-acidic cardboard or other non-acidic material must be placed between the exhibit and the base of the showcase. Only the use of Medite ZF (without Urea-Formaldehyde adhesive) will be permitted. The descriptive technical data sheet of the materials ordered for making the showcases must be notified to …..

4. To avoid any additional emission of calories, the lighting of the showcases must be external or contained in a special ventilated compartment. Transformers must never be placed under the showcases.

5. Thermo hygrometers must be placed in the showcases before the works of art are installed. The temperature and relative humidity must be controlled 24 hours before the objects are placed in them. If the standards mentioned under these conditions are not met, the owner of the works of art reserves the right to refuse to have them installed.

6. Exhibits placed on stands must be protected. There must be a security zone (distance between the object and the public) of between 90 and 120 cm depending on the fragility of the object, with base of 30 cm high. No retouching of the paint shall be done once the work of art has been installed. The work of art shall not be dusted during the exhibition.

7. A notice stating that touching the works of art is prohibited must be placed near objects mounted on stands.

8. Small-sized works of art, measuring 30 x 40 cm or less, shall be exhibited in showcases on the wall or covered with a protective hood of Mirogard or Plexiglas, with a system of fixed security fastenings.

D) Security and safety

1. The security and safety standards set out in the organizing institution’s Standard Facility Report must be maintained for the entire exhibition. After the Standard Facility Report is read, additional equipment (fire extinguishers, cameras…) may be required.

2. The organizing institution shall send the evacuation procedure for the works of art to the …. conservator-restorer.

3. In the event of a large inflow of visitors, a counting system shall be set up at the entrance to the institution in order to limit the presence of the public and to maintain fire protection standards, hygrometric rates and the security of the works of art.

4. Transit and storage areas and the exhibition rooms must remain locked during the organizing institution’s closing hours and during the installation and dismantling of the works of art. Entries and exits must be controlled by qualified staff (identification by list, passport or badge). The video surveillance system must include a hard-disk recorder.

5. Access to the exhibition rooms will not be authorized for persons not involved in the installation and dismantling operations (journalists, etc.).

6. Whenever people are present in the exhibition rooms (cleaning, changing light bulbs, inspecting the works of art, or for private visits), security guards must be on duty.

7.- For work entailing hot points (soldering, cutting, drilling … of metal) a fire permit, an alarm system in the premises where the work is taking place, a means of fire extinction, a member of the staff to monitor the work, and a round to be made 2 hours after the work, are mandatory. This type of work must be done 5 hours before the personal of maintenance  leave the museum.

8. For large and very heavy paintings that cannot be given priority when being removed by firefighters, protective blankets must be available in a place to which firefighters have access.

9. In connection with the security system for the paintings, drawings, photo, prints…. the key to the lender’s security system must be kept in a secure place chosen by the head of security and accessible in the event that the works of art must be taken down urgently.

10. Metal detectors must be installed at the entry of the building to check all bags.

E) Other

1. The organizing institution guarantees that the conditions for exhibiting the works of art at the time of installation will be maintained for the entire duration of the exhibition.

2. Smoking or bringing food or drink into the exhibition rooms is prohibited. Bags measuring more than 30 x 40 cm, backpacks, suitcases, prams larger than 80×50 cm and umbrellas are also prohibited. On rainy days, coats must be left in the cloakroom.

3. The restorer or the registrar of the organizing institution must carry out regular inspections throughout the period of the exhibition.

4. No handling, restoration, or change in the presentation, framing, or hanging system may be made without the prior written consent of the owner of the works of art.

5. Any damage or accident must be notified immediately to the owner of the works of art by e-mail, fax or telephone. The owner reserves the right to send his restorer to the exhibition venue at the expense of the organizing institution.

6. The lender reserves the right to request special arrangements during the installation of the works of art.

7. School groups, lectures and other groups shall be accompanied by a person from the organizing institution. Only groups of up to a maximum of 25 shall be admitted. The lender reserves the right to request that groups be divided up in accordance with the lay-out of the exhibition.

IV. SPECIAL CLAUSES

1. In addition to the loan conditions set down in this document, the organizing institution undertakes to abide by all the instructions of the …. conservator-restorer on matters pertaining to security, packing and unpacking, handling, installation, warehousing and transport of the works of art.

2. Throughout the duration of the exhibition, the owner of the works of art reserves the right to check their condition and that of the exhibition at any time, at the expense of the organizing institution.  If justified by the state of conservation of the works of art, or if the conservation and security conditions are not met, the owner shall be entitled to remove his works of art before the close of the exhibition.

3. The lender reserves the right to send his courier at any time during the period of the exhibition to check the state of conservation of the works of art. In this event, the costs shall be borne by the organizing institution

4. If the conditions established here are not met during the exhibition, an additional examination of the works of art shall be carried out one month after the end of the exhibition. The report on the condition of the works of art shall only be signed after this additional examination.

5. The closing dates of the previous exhibition and the opening dates of the following exhibition shall be communicated to the lender.

6. In the event of itinerant exhibitions, the works of art shall be examined each time after being transported, in a place of transit chosen by the owner of the works of art.

V – MONITORING OF THE OPERATIONS

A. Before acceptance of the loan:

1. The conditions for conservation must be sent to the organizing institution. These conditions must be returned initialed, dated and signed by the organizing institution on page 15, together with the Standard Facility Report, the thermo-hygrometric measurements of the exhibition rooms for the previous year (at the same date of the exhibition) verification reports of the air-conditioning system and fire-prevention equipment, the insect-eradication monitoring report and the timetable of the exhibition. The loan will only be effective after examination of these documents.

2. Study of the documents.

3. Establishment of an estimate if the works of art should require preliminary preparation (restoration, conditioning, disassembly of the frames and positioning of protective backing, positioning of hanging systems, etc).

B. Departure of the works of art

1. Establishing specifications and estimates for the framing, manufacturing of crates, packing and transport of the works of art, as well as supervision of the operations.

2. Handling of the works of art with a view to choosing frames, checking of dimensions for the framing of paintings and the works on paper and for the manufacture of cases for restoration.

3. Reports on the state of the works of art.

4. Presentation of the works of art at customs

5. Handling for packing and putting into crates.

C. Convoying the works of art

D. At the exhibition venue

1. Checking the building, the exhibition rooms and the showcases.

2. Unpacking the works of art.

3. Checking the condition of the works of art in the presence of the restorer or the registrar of the organizing institution.

4. Supervision of the definitive installation of the works of art.

5. Checking by the security guards.

E. End of the exhibition

1. Tour of the exhibition.

2. Supervision of the placing of the crates in the exhibition rooms. Checking the storage conditions of the crates.

3. Supervision of the dismantling operations.

4. Checking the condition of the works of art in the presence of the restorer or the registrar of the organizing institution.

5. Supervision of the packing and placing of the works of art in crates.

F. Convoying of the works of art

G. Return of the works of art

1. Unpacking of the works of art.

1. Presentation at customs.

1. Condition reports of the works of art.

1. Handling of the works of art for their return to the lenders.

VI. COSTS OF THE ASSIGNMENT

Costs applicable to the ….. conservator-restorer and the ….. courier accompanying the works of art:

1. An amount of 000,00 Euros (not including taxes) will be invoiced per day.

2. Each day of presence on the premises shall be considered as a day of work.

3. A full day of work shall be due for any day of work that has begun; any overtime will be invoiced.

4. The …… courier’s assignment begins at the time he leaves his home and ends when he returns to it.

5. – All travel expenses (taxi, air fare, train …) hotel and per diem, shall be payable by the organizing institution and shall under no circumstances be considered to be a down payment for which a reduction is due on the invoice.

6. If the flight time is 2 hours or more, the ….. courier will travel in Business Class.

7. The convoying of the works of art by plane or by truck will be invoiced as working days.

8. The per diem shall be remitted to the ….. courier by the carrier or by the forwarding agent before his departure.

9. Any day of work, either convoying the works of art or presence at the exhibition venue, will be included in the calculation of the amounts for per diem.

10. Indicating the intra-Community VAT number of the organizing institution is indispensable and mandatory if it is located in an EU Member State. If not, invoices will be issued with the VAT rate applicable in France (19.6%).