Art on the Move

Tuesday, 16 July 2013

Loading of the Artwork

Most transport companies would shy away from shipping a 22 foot tall sculpture - but then again Paxton International is not your average shipping company. We have been moving artwork for international organizations like the World Bank and Department of State for years. Most recently, Paxton was tasked with shipping a sculpture created by internationally recognized artist Joel Shapiro from New York to Guangzhou- China where it was to be installed outside the US Consulate.

The project was no small feat - made of aluminum, the shipment weighed in at more than eight tons and had to travel nearly 12,000 miles across two continents and the pacific ocean.

“The sculpture that I have proposed for the U.S. Consulate in Guangzhou is a large essentially abstract work, but it has distinct figurative references. The individual forms are simple, but in concert are unpredictable, complicated and engaging. The capacity for joyful play and free experimentation is universal, and I think transcends cultural boundaries. It is the very nature of art.” Joel Shapiro Artist.

To safely ship the work by air freight, this job required Paxton to call on its more than 66 years of experience in handling large loads. The cargo was picked up using a crane and delivered by truck to JFK airport where it was loaded onto an MD-11 freighter and flown to China. Upon arrival, Paxton representatives on the ground completed customs clearance and stored the pieces locally until the consulate was ready for the installation project.

Shapiro’s sculpture NOW-US Consulate Guangzhou China

In addition to the artwork itself, Paxton also shipped supporting literature explaining the piece and its creator to be displayed at the consulate. All items arrived in China on time and undamaged where they were uncrated under the supervision of Paxton representatives on the ground and members of the consulate before being assembled by a team of art handling specialists. The sculpture entitled NOW is featured in the courtyard of the US consulate in Guangzhou China.

Paxton is always ready to use our logistics expertise to tackle challenging projects in our own backyard or on the other side of the world. This move allowed us to harness these skills to successfully complete the task - and the sculpture now stands as a cultural ambassador for American art in the east.