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We asked Jacqueline
Cabrera, Associate Registrar for Getty Villa and Vice Chair of
the Registrar’s Committee – Western Region:
1. How do you decide which loans must have a Courier?
Every intuition has their own standards, however in general, a
Courier may be required if the object is of high value, fragile,
rare, small in size and/or the transit route is a complex one.
2. How do you determine who will act as Courier with a particular
loan?
The Courier should know the object well. Here at the Getty Villa,
the curators, mount makers or conservators act as Couriers for
our antiquities collection loans. If the object requires a complex
mount then a mount maker or conservator are most likely chosen.
Registrars and Preparators are also asked to do Courier trips
but that unfortunately is not very often.
However a few years ago, we loaned out a very large roman mosaic
to an east coast museum. Upon preparing the loan it was obvious
that the transport and installation of the object was going to
be very complex. It was then decided that our Lead Prepartor,
Kevin Marhsall was the best staff member for that trip. He is
very experienced with rigging large works of art and has a great
deal of knowledge on the installation of ancient objects as well.
3.
What are your five best tips for being a Courier on an international
shipment?
1. Wear comfortable clothes and shoes
but always remember that you are representing your intuition so
dress professionally too.
2. Know your loan requirements; know
how to unpack and/or pack your crate, know your object and its conservation
needs, and know your mount. Don’t arrive unprepared. You can
avoid this by meeting with your registrar, packer and your mount
maker prior to departing on your Courier trip.
3. Take a book or magazine just in case you are asked
to wait for a long period of time between the unpacking and installation
of your object. Remember that a Courier trip is work and not a vacation.
4. Be culturally sensitive, know the dos and don’ts
of that country so as not to offend your international museum colleagues.
5. Don’t schedule other appointments, whether
at the borrowing institution or another, until you know how long
you will be needed for installation. I always find it amazing how
many Couriers make other plans and then get upset when you tell
them they are needed a bit longer to do their jobs.
4.
What responsibilities do you view as belonging to the shipper
when working with the Courier?
At the airport:
—That they listen to the Courier when the Courier
foresees a conflict during palletization and act accordingly on
behalf of that Courier
—That they properly estimate enough time for
the Courier to get checked in and with enough time to get through
security
5. Recommended reading?
I always recommend the New Museum Registration Methods
book and The PACIN book on crating. But most importantly read
your institutions Courier Policy and Guidelines and the object’s
loan requirements. I also recommend taking with you the Courierspeak
by Cordelia Rose.
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