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Fine art transporters meet in Basle
72
Notes
and Commrnts
Note 1. Translator’s note: The old-fashioned baker, who bakes bread himselfand sells his freshly-baked product to his customers, is a symbol ofthe enormously successful revival ofall kinds ofcraft. The biijzinnig Protestantse Radio Omroep (Liberal Protestant Broadcasting Company) specializes in the avant-garde and the art film. As a rule it appeals to a minority audience. It is often out to shock.
Fine Art Transporters Meet in Bade
MICHAEL SCOTT
‘Our World of Art’ was the theme chosen for the fifth annual meeting of the ‘International Convention of Exhibition and Fine Art Transporters’. This Convention, held in Basle in mid-October 1981 gathered together 87 delegates representing nearly 50 of the world’s leading art packers and forwarders. Their main reason for attending was to meet their colleagues and correspondents from other parts of the world in an informal atmosphere, to renew friendships, and strengthen the foundations for even closer co-operation and communication in the future. In his speech of welcome, Mr Albert Perels of Gerlach & Co. (The Netherlands), the Chairman of the Steering Committee, stressed the importance of this close co-operation. ‘Every fine art movement is unique’ he reminded the delegates. ‘The absence of standard practices and the need to provide exactly the right service at the right time in any part of the world calls for a very high degree of understanding between forwarders.’ Basle was chosen as the host city for the 1981 Convention, partly because it is the home of Steering Committee member Mr Charles Rebmann, director of MAT Securitas, and partly because of its long history of sponsorship of the Arts and its importance for one of the first public museums in the world-opened there in 1662 by Basilius Amerbach. To develop the theme of the Convention, the Steering Committee had invited speakers representing all aspects of art and museums to tell the Convention what they expect in particular from fine art packers and forwarders and what trends they see for the future. The first speaker was Dr Emil Bamatter, Manager of the Basle Art Fair. Held every year since 1969, and always increasing in size and importance, this Contemporary Art Fair draws artists, collectors, and dealers from all parts of the world, and the wide variety of the exhibits, artworks and sculptures, etc. presents an ever-increasing challenge to the packers and transporters who bring them to Basle. Dr Jiirg Wille, General Manager of Sotheby’s Zurich, then addressed the convention on ‘Auction Houses’. After explaining the background of the increase in his flourishing company’s activities during the past decade and its expansion throughout the world, Dr Wille levelled some criticism against forwarders by saying that problems in transport seemed to get worse and costs were always rising. Why did forwarders not introduce a world-wide courier service for works of art? The cost of packing and transport services was also criticized by Dr C. Eggenberger of Pro Helvetia, organizers of Swiss exhibitions abroad. In spite of a large increase in its budget during the past few years, Pro
Notes and
Comments
73
Helvetia is still a small organization, and its activities are restricted to planning of exhibitions and liaison with artists and lenders. Packing and transport functions are delegated to specialist forwarders, and Dr Eggenberger was concerned that the great cost of these services was restricting the programme of his organization. ‘If costs continue to escalate in this way’, he wondered, ‘might we see a reduction in the movement of original works of art and, instead, exhibitions of colour reproductions ?’ Answering this criticism, the present author (Pitt & Scott Ltd., London) pointed out that packing and fowarding was a very competitive business and cost was directly related to the requirements of the owners and lenders of works of art, and to the ever increasing size and complexity of Modern Artworks and the enormous values placed upon them. A very interesting address was also given by Dr Jean-Christoph Ackermann, Director of the Historical Museum in Basle. Illustrating his talk with many slides, Dr Ackermann gave a detailed account of the history of his Museum, its collection, and the loans it had made to recent exhibitions in other parts of the world. Between meetings, every possible opportunity was taken for the delegates to meet each other informally. A visit was arranged to the Kunstmuseum where delegates were welcomed by the new Director, Dr Christian Geelhaar, and saw the exhibitions of late works by Picasso, and of Giacometti’s sculptures and drawings, and a most enjoyable evening was spent at the famous Wenkenhof. The final sessions of the convention were held in Basle’s famous old Rathaus. After an address from Mlle Francoise Chatelain, attorney at law, on the increasing risk of theft and the liabilities of international transporters for the safety of the work they carry, the Convention ended with its Annual General Meeting. Setting the programme for 1981/82, Mr Albert Perels again stressed the importance of close communications to ensure the maintenance of high standards of service, and told the delegates that at the 1982 Convention, to be held in Cologne, workshop sessions would be arranged to examine particular areas of our activities and the Customs Manual would be up-dated.
The Margam Sculpture Park
A new initiative is being taken in Wales to stimulate interest in contemporary sculpture and to encourage the commissioning and display of sculpture in public places. The Welsh Sculpture Trust has been formed with the intention of creating a new and dynamic climate of patronage within the Principality of Wales by stimulating greater public awareness of contemporary sculpture and by providing specialist expertise and encouragement to those considering the commissioning or acquisition of sculpture. Under the presidency of the Right Honourable George Thomas MP, the Speaker of the House of Commons, the Trustees include Sir Hugh Casson, President of the Royal Academy of Arts, and the eminent sculptors Elizabeth Frink, Phillip King, Henry Moore and Ivor Roberts-Jones. The first project to be undertaken by the newly founded Welsh Sculpture Trust is the establishment of a sculpture park in the Margam Country Park near Port Talbot. An area of outstanding natural beauty, there are broad sweeps of landscaped park contrasting with more formal gardens laid out between Margam Castle and the Orangery. Large scale
Notes
and Commrnts
Note 1. Translator’s note: The old-fashioned baker, who bakes bread himselfand sells his freshly-baked product to his customers, is a symbol ofthe enormously successful revival ofall kinds ofcraft. The biijzinnig Protestantse Radio Omroep (Liberal Protestant Broadcasting Company) specializes in the avant-garde and the art film. As a rule it appeals to a minority audience. It is often out to shock.
Fine Art Transporters Meet in Bade
MICHAEL SCOTT
‘Our World of Art’ was the theme chosen for the fifth annual meeting of the ‘International Convention of Exhibition and Fine Art Transporters’. This Convention, held in Basle in mid-October 1981 gathered together 87 delegates representing nearly 50 of the world’s leading art packers and forwarders. Their main reason for attending was to meet their colleagues and correspondents from other parts of the world in an informal atmosphere, to renew friendships, and strengthen the foundations for even closer co-operation and communication in the future. In his speech of welcome, Mr Albert Perels of Gerlach & Co. (The Netherlands), the Chairman of the Steering Committee, stressed the importance of this close co-operation. ‘Every fine art movement is unique’ he reminded the delegates. ‘The absence of standard practices and the need to provide exactly the right service at the right time in any part of the world calls for a very high degree of understanding between forwarders.’ Basle was chosen as the host city for the 1981 Convention, partly because it is the home of Steering Committee member Mr Charles Rebmann, director of MAT Securitas, and partly because of its long history of sponsorship of the Arts and its importance for one of the first public museums in the world-opened there in 1662 by Basilius Amerbach. To develop the theme of the Convention, the Steering Committee had invited speakers representing all aspects of art and museums to tell the Convention what they expect in particular from fine art packers and forwarders and what trends they see for the future. The first speaker was Dr Emil Bamatter, Manager of the Basle Art Fair. Held every year since 1969, and always increasing in size and importance, this Contemporary Art Fair draws artists, collectors, and dealers from all parts of the world, and the wide variety of the exhibits, artworks and sculptures, etc. presents an ever-increasing challenge to the packers and transporters who bring them to Basle. Dr Jiirg Wille, General Manager of Sotheby’s Zurich, then addressed the convention on ‘Auction Houses’. After explaining the background of the increase in his flourishing company’s activities during the past decade and its expansion throughout the world, Dr Wille levelled some criticism against forwarders by saying that problems in transport seemed to get worse and costs were always rising. Why did forwarders not introduce a world-wide courier service for works of art? The cost of packing and transport services was also criticized by Dr C. Eggenberger of Pro Helvetia, organizers of Swiss exhibitions abroad. In spite of a large increase in its budget during the past few years, Pro
Notes and
Comments
73
Helvetia is still a small organization, and its activities are restricted to planning of exhibitions and liaison with artists and lenders. Packing and transport functions are delegated to specialist forwarders, and Dr Eggenberger was concerned that the great cost of these services was restricting the programme of his organization. ‘If costs continue to escalate in this way’, he wondered, ‘might we see a reduction in the movement of original works of art and, instead, exhibitions of colour reproductions ?’ Answering this criticism, the present author (Pitt & Scott Ltd., London) pointed out that packing and fowarding was a very competitive business and cost was directly related to the requirements of the owners and lenders of works of art, and to the ever increasing size and complexity of Modern Artworks and the enormous values placed upon them. A very interesting address was also given by Dr Jean-Christoph Ackermann, Director of the Historical Museum in Basle. Illustrating his talk with many slides, Dr Ackermann gave a detailed account of the history of his Museum, its collection, and the loans it had made to recent exhibitions in other parts of the world. Between meetings, every possible opportunity was taken for the delegates to meet each other informally. A visit was arranged to the Kunstmuseum where delegates were welcomed by the new Director, Dr Christian Geelhaar, and saw the exhibitions of late works by Picasso, and of Giacometti’s sculptures and drawings, and a most enjoyable evening was spent at the famous Wenkenhof. The final sessions of the convention were held in Basle’s famous old Rathaus. After an address from Mlle Francoise Chatelain, attorney at law, on the increasing risk of theft and the liabilities of international transporters for the safety of the work they carry, the Convention ended with its Annual General Meeting. Setting the programme for 1981/82, Mr Albert Perels again stressed the importance of close communications to ensure the maintenance of high standards of service, and told the delegates that at the 1982 Convention, to be held in Cologne, workshop sessions would be arranged to examine particular areas of our activities and the Customs Manual would be up-dated.
The Margam Sculpture Park
A new initiative is being taken in Wales to stimulate interest in contemporary sculpture and to encourage the commissioning and display of sculpture in public places. The Welsh Sculpture Trust has been formed with the intention of creating a new and dynamic climate of patronage within the Principality of Wales by stimulating greater public awareness of contemporary sculpture and by providing specialist expertise and encouragement to those considering the commissioning or acquisition of sculpture. Under the presidency of the Right Honourable George Thomas MP, the Speaker of the House of Commons, the Trustees include Sir Hugh Casson, President of the Royal Academy of Arts, and the eminent sculptors Elizabeth Frink, Phillip King, Henry Moore and Ivor Roberts-Jones. The first project to be undertaken by the newly founded Welsh Sculpture Trust is the establishment of a sculpture park in the Margam Country Park near Port Talbot. An area of outstanding natural beauty, there are broad sweeps of landscaped park contrasting with more formal gardens laid out between Margam Castle and the Orangery. Large scale