rt moves in, out and around New York City constantly, making it one of the most active art centers in the world. Art moving businesses in Gotham handle pieces of art that cost millions of dollars. NYC24 talked to the owner of a private art handling company, who asked for anonymity for security reasons to protect his clients and his workers.

NYC24: Why did you start a business like this one?

The basic tools: hammer, glue and nails. PHOTO: Gabriel Sama

Anonymous: I began with a partner who I went to art school with. He was an architect and I was there for painting. We both wanted to be independent and do our work. We saw this industry and thought that would be a way to acquire space where we could actually have our studio to do our own artwork and support ourselves with crating artworks and handling projects for galleries and museums. We started with a couple of thousand square feet of space and acquired clients slowly. Over 14 years we've become very active handling most of the travelling exhibitions that come to New York City. There's a lot of organization involved, a lot of scheduling and deadline details, working closely with the registrars. The working relationships are really key. We have a loyal staff, a loyal crew that grew with us over the years, very efficient, very fast.

NYC24: What is special about New York?

Anonymous: It's still the art center of the world, no question. I read somewhere that there's more artwork located here than anywhere in the planet. It's possible — it rivals maybe Paris or Rome, but probably New York wins out on a guess.

NYC24: Why are so many artists involved in the art handling business?

Anonymous: To be in this business is nice for artists. They're with their peers. They can get out to bat and see what it happening in the art world, something they would have to do anyway: get out of their studios and check out shows.

NYC24: How many people are involved in the process?

All crates are covered with warning labels. PHOTO: Fiona Davis

Anonymous: You have various types of moves. You have a gallery that sells a piece and it has to get moved. Then you have the auction houses that have thousands of shipments a year. Then the museums — many people are involved there — it's quite a big process. The museum shows are extensive; the planning, the packaging, the crating, the shipping. It's always high, high volume. The crates will often go to four or five venues. So that means they're really high-end cases, designed to be very idiot proof. The piece just comes out really easily and goes back in very obviously. That's what we've perfected, that's part of our success.

NYC24: Can you tell us about the security issues around your business?

Anonymous: There are all ranges of security. For a high value shipment we have a couple of armed guards that go with it everywhere it goes. The lower value is in an alarmed environment, as secure as can be.

NYC24: Have you ever encountered an unmovable piece of art?

Anonymous: You can sort of always somehow get it into a box, prepare it in a way that it can go. I don't think that there's something that's ever stopped us. We've always managed to figure out a way.

NYC24: What's the worst thing that can happen in your business?

Anonymous: A total loss, the art being lost or stolen. Usually damage can be repaired. For contemporary art, the artists are generally alive and they just fix them. You also have a whole industry of conservators who repair artworks. Being in the industry and seeing how the stuff gets handled, it's kind of astonishing that there's so much antiquity around and that it has survived this long. It's amazing.

Next: The Art Handling of P.S.1 Museum

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