HANDLED WITH CARE: the Fine Art of Training ICEFAT Logisticians
The excellence of service that ICEFAT agents offer across the globe is not left to chance; it is achieved, instead, by meticulous hiring processes and the comprehensive training of all employees. After all, those assuming responsibility for the world’s cultural treasures must be equipped with the necessary skills to handle them with the utmost care and consideration. The talent and training standards mandated by ICEFAT ensure uniformity of practices amongst its members, and thereby consolidate the trust of museums, galleries, and private clients, who rely on the expertise of those transporting their often-fragile masterpieces. But what does it take to train someone in this demanding and unique industry? We spoke with ICEFAT members Museum Complex and Gander & White to find out.
Museum Complex art handlers at work. Source: Museum Complex.
STAGE 1: Identifying Talent
With all the specific demands of a role in fine art transportation, how do ICEFAT agents identify credible candidates? Tibor Polgár, of Budapest-based shipping company Museum Complex, explains that beyond manual expertise, he looks for characteristics typical of the best art handlers: “It is imperative that those we hire are calm under pressure, and act always with caution. Fundamentally, a successful logistician will think before acting, as damage cannot be undone, but can be avoided with careful preparation and adherence to established procedure”. There isn’t a single path to a career in art shipping – some come from the art world, some from within the shipping industry, and some from the customer service sector – but all bear an unequivocal commitment to safely transporting the artworks in their care.
Gander & White installing the Goodman Gallery stand at Frieze New York in 2021, having adapted to strict protocols during the COVID-19 pandemic. Source: Gander & White.
The workforce of any successful art logistics company is varied and comprehensive; Tibor, for example, studied international relations and worked as head of organisation in the museum sector before founding Museum Complex, a combination that readied him for his responsibilities as CEO despite not having had direct experience in art transportation. After the initial interview stage, the senior team at Museum Complex requests feedback from its existing employees to gauge whether the candidate would be a good fit for the company and assess the value of the experience they bring with them. A diverse team is essential, as pointed out by Francis Petit, Director of Gander & White in New York, who believes that “the most valuable hires are those that bring something new to the team, as this broadens what we can offer our clients”. Talent presents itself in many ways and via several routes, but a career in art logistics is possible for anybody committed to excellence and precision.
STAGE 2: Fostering Talent
Once engaged by the company, a new hire at Gander & White is provided with a formal orientation that prepares them with the knowledge required for their role. They are then introduced to the in-house trainer and assigned a senior member of staff to shadow in their day-to-day activities. There is much to learn throughout the onboarding process, as the new hire gets to know the team, the facilities, and of course the standards of practice mandated by ICEFAT. At Museum Complex, trainee art handlers are provided with ‘dummy’ artworks to package, manoeuvre, and load for vehicular transport, before accompanying the broader team to onsite visits. Only after six months into this process will they begin handling uncrated, museum-grade artworks; Gergő Kun, an art handler pictured in the images below, comments that “Museum Complex ensures that we are fully adept across all disciplines, and that we feel confident in our work”. As the company moves more than 500,000 artworks annually, but has only 50 employees in total, comprehensive training from the outset is essential so that any one individual can be called in to help with all stages of a project, from administration and planning to crate production and delivery. Though each ICEFAT agent has its own training requirements, all ensure that talent is fostered and that their art handlers are properly prepared for the unique challenges that the industry poses.
Museum Complex art handlers and restorers at work. Source: Museum Complex.
STAGE 3: Evolving Talent
Training is an ongoing process – there is always something more to learn, and ways in which skills can be developed, particularly as the industry evolves and new projects come into play. When moving the Museum of Ethnography in Budapest, for example, even the most senior art handlers at Museum Complex required specific training to handle the institution’s idiosyncratic collection of objects from the Pacific Islands, including canoes and other large-scale pieces. Another example includes the dismantling of the iconic Gabriel Statue in Heroes Square, Budapest, when the handlers at Museum Complex were trained by specialist restorers to address the mechanics of the sculpture using the latest technologies. As Francis Petit notes, “even our most experienced staff members benefit from ongoing refreshers and updates. One of the advantages of being a member of ICEFAT is the opportunity to share new developments in best practices”. At ICEFAT’s annual conference, member agents discuss ways in which their employees can become more efficient, and their practices more sustainable in an environmentally conscious world.
The ICEFAT standards too continue to develop, with clients confident in the knowledge that these evolving standards are being adhered to internationally. Museum Complex has, in fact, signed several contracts where it was stipulated that projects could be shared only with other ICEFAT agents. As Petit concludes, “these standards promote a shared language and understanding of art logistics. This cohesion not only provides a winning solution for the client but also strengthens the relationship between members who share core values and methodologies”.