Art Storage for the Abstract Artist

Minimalist art is always a source of contention, but following her esteemed Jewish memorial created in Vienna, Rachel Whiteread’s new exhibition entitled ‘Detached,’ at the Gagosian Gallery in London, is set to be a success. Richard Dorment from the Telegraph suggests that perhaps her work is so well respected due to being “freighted with meaning.”

 

In this exhibition, she takes everyday objects and detaches them from their initial significance by casting them in concrete, plaster or resin. This causes people to think more deeply about the structure of an object, but also consider the people who used them. Objects such as bathtubs and sheds become imbued with meaning rather than existing as a simple, utilitarian object. We’re wondering if Rachel would like to use a crate from our friends at Easycrate for inspiration for a spectacle at her exhibition. Although it goes without saying that plastic crates are so much more than simple objects!
 

In any case, Rachel is always welcome to store her artwork with us here at Cube Fine Art Services, especially having studied her art in Sussex at the local Brighton polytechnic! With our climate controlled storage, we can help maintain the integrity of her unique pieces by protecting them from heat, cold, dust, mould and humidity. Whatever the object, whether it be a shed or the kitchen sink, we will endeavour to find a suitable solution that meets your needs and budget. Contact us today for a service that is second to none in offering bespoke art transport and storage.

The original selfies – Pristine Portraits

In recent months we have seen the rise of the selfie where celebrities and mere mortals alike take posed and staged photos of themselves. According to the urban dictionary a selfie is a picture taken of yourself that is planned to be uploaded to Facebook or other social networking sites. But we think that selfies have been around much longer than originally presumed as really self portraits can be seen as a type of selfie!

Van Gogh, Picasso, Warhol... just a few famous artists who have all dabbled in the art of self portraits and usually display interesting and unique views of the artists themselves.

So do you have any portraits or self portraits that you need to store to keep in pristine condition? Cube Fine Art offers a range of art storage facilities to cater for a variety of art pieces from sculptures and sketches to antique furniture. Climate controlled storage units are also available for more delicate and valuable pieces.

So whether your portrait is a priceless family air loom or a famous valuable antique, Cube Fine Art has the facilities to store your artworks. Get incontact today to find out more.

Portraits for storage

In light of the recent loss of Lady Thatcher, an infamous political character not only in Britain but on the world stage we have decided to dedicate this week’s Cube Fine Art blog to discuss some Thatcher related artworks that have been created over the years.

In the past few days you would have found The Iron lady who divided our nation plastered on nearly every newspaper in the UK with tributes coming in from across the world. But we are going to highlight some of the portraits that have been commissioned to artists over the years that have been able to capture her true spirit and seem to ooze her powerful and passionate aura.

The portraits are typically thinking pieces that encourage the audience to reflect upon Thatcher and her life, and typically capture not only her tell tale highly groomed hair styles and pearl earring! - but her ideology and political work that seem to reflect the opinions held by the artist creating a cloud of controversy that still seems to follow the Thatcher name.  

Views on Thatcher’s political stance were mixed to say the least and this has resulted in artworks varying in tone and interpretation from ominous and imposing to gentle and virtuous. The portraits serve to ensure she will never been forgotten not least for being Britain’s first and currently only woman Prime Minister but for the changes she made to our country and in David Cameron’s words who “saved our country”.

In the wake of her death we predict Thatcher artworks will rise in popularity and value. So do you have any Thatcher related artworks? If so store with Cube Fine Arts to ensure they are protected and stored with as much care and dedication that the Lady herself had to her cause.

Get in contact now for more information and to speak to one of our expert staff about the packing, storing and shipping of your prized artworks. 

Equine Art

The Grand National is coming up this Saturday and here at Cube Fine art we've got racing fever! With horses, odds and bets on the mind we thought it apt to discuss horse related art in our latest blog.

Horses are the epitome of strength and grace and are fitting subjects of artist’s work. They have long provided inspiration for artists such as Munnings and George Stubbs who are perhaps England’s most famous painters where horses are usually their subject of choice; but more recently the Turner prize-winning artist Mark Wallinger has unveiled his latest work, a life-sized marble and resin racehorse sculpture, at the Mall in London.

Amusingly we even found news where horses themselves pick up the paintbrush to create artworks! With dedicated websites and forums about the art of horse painting and even a horse that has sold its artworks for small fortunes!

That’s enough horsing around... When it comes to art storage, packing and shipping remember Cube Fine Arts, whether it’s a sculpture or a sketch we have the facilities to ensure your art is cared for and protected. Get in contact today to find out more.

Easter Eggs

In the spirit of Easter, the conventional chocolate egg was not the first thing to come to mind for us here at Cube Fine Art but instead the mystical Fabergè egg! These jewelled eggs made by the House of Fabergè have become a symbol of luxury, masterpieces of the jeweller’s art. Having a rich history the eggs are intrinsically linked to Russian aristocracy and are extremely valuable!

Now your art collection may not involve any Fabergè eggs but whatever it does involve we are sure Cube Fine Art will be able to provide for all your art packing, storage and transportation needs.

From creating purpose built art packing cases to storing complete collections in our climate controlled storage facility we are able to build a bespoke service around your unique requirements. All items will be handled with the utmost of care so you can be sure your prized collections are in safe hands. So sit back and enjoy your Easter... you never know there may be a Fabergè egg at the end of your Easter egg hunt! 

For more information and to speak with one of our industry experts, get in contact today. 

Unexpected Value in Art

A rare 18^th century Chinese vase sold at auction in Yorkshire for almost £1m last week. The vase which was valued at £10,000 to £15,000 turned out to be an extremely rare ornament which was made for a Chinese emperor in around 1730.

The vase had been kept in a house in North Yorkshire for 45 years and the owner had no idea of its value.

Stories like this demonstrate the importance of storing your art pieces securely, as you never know the real value of your collection!

Cube Fine Art is able to store your art pieces whatever they may be safely and securely in the hope that they will appreciate in the future. Our climate controlled facility is also ideal for storing precious items that are sensitive to heat, cold, dust and humidity. Cube offers unparalleled facilities to protect your art. Get in contact to speak to one of our expert consultants to discuss your unique storage requirements today or call 0800 027 2668. 

Is Home Storage Good Enough?

Storing your Art collection at home may seem like an attractive prospect but it could lead to unwanted and undesirable repercussion. To stay Fine your Fine art needs certain special atmospheric conditions.

They will need:

Ø  A constant climate, neither too hot or too cold – Around 20°C

Ø  A constant humidity level that is again neither too dry or too damp – Around 50% relative humidity

Ø  Protection from strong light, dust, abrasion and knocks, insects and vermin,

 

So it seems it is not enough to store in places in the home such as attics, garages and conservatories or your art works could deteriorate extensively before your eyes!

Take away these stresses and let Cube Fine Art store your artworks in our climate controlled storage facilities. Not only do we offer climate controlled storage but we operate a state of the art security system that will surpass any home security system. Find out more about our facilities or get in contact now to ensure your art work is preserved and retains its value.

 

Hidden Treasures?

You may be pleased to know that although art does not always go up in value, it is far more likely that it will than with most other investments. Its value can be largely attributed to the stature and popularity of the artist. It must also be highlighted that in many cases an artist becomes more famous after their deaths in years to come.

The value of your prized art collection could double, perhaps even triple in future so the importance of storing your art appropriately is paramount and is essential in the fine art of investing.

Take Peter Doig’s painting The Architect’s Home in the Ravine for example; the piece sold at auction in 2002 for £314,650, 11 years later in February 2013 the piece sold for a whopping £7.7 million!

Now we’re not saying storing your art with us will automatically make it go up in value! But Cube is the ideal place to store your art, preserving its value in the hope that one day it will have appreciated extensively.

We have a temperature controlled storage facility that maintains temperature requirements and humidity levels effectively protecting your artworks from premature aging, dust and mould. Not to mention our state of the art security systems, your artworks really are in safe hands.

Get in contact now to make arrangements to take advantage of our state of the art facility and specialist services to store your art investments. 

Is Graffiti Art?

When we think of graffiti as art, one name will spring to all Brits’ minds: Banksy. After the controversy surrounding the extraction of a mural from the wall of a Poundland in London intended to be sold at a Miami auction house, it seems that people are becoming more aware of graffiti’s artistic value. However Banksy could be considered as an exception to the rule since his risky campaigns are recognised worldwide.

Yet a priest at the Santa Eulalia Church near Barcelona clearly finds graffiti most appeasing as an artistic form since he invited Spanish graffiti artists, House and Rudi, to paint the ceiling dome above the main alter. Graffiti in this specific Church is even more radical since most Catalan Churches are very simple in their decoration. Whereas the Santa Eulalia now boasts a bright dome of blues, reds and greens, which the Priest hopes will attract new people into his Church.

We love hearing about new forms of artistic expression here at Cube Fine Arts, even if we can’t get involved with preservation and storage! Contact us today to see if we can help you with your art.

The Oscars

3 o clock in the afternoon yesterday, Los Angeles bore witness to the most fantastical of all awards ceremonies, the Oscars. Each year, one of the most memorable elements of the awards is of course the amazing frocks and designer outfits flaunted on the red carpet. Armani, Vivienne Westwood, Miu Miu, Roberto Cavalli to name a few.

 

 

Along with fine art our climate controlled storage is ideal for clothing collections. Our facility offers effective protection against premature aging and heat related malfunctions... and moths!  Haute-clothing collections are a thing of beauty and an art in itself. So if you have any Oscar style gowns lurking around, give them the best chance of survival possible by storing them with Cube Fine Art Services.

 

Oscar Winners: Daniel Day-Lewis, Jennifer Lawrence, Anne Hathaway, Christoph Waltz

Don’t Let Your Art Disappear

Keep your art safe and secure at Cube Fine Art Services. Our 24 hour digital CCTV is in operation both inside and outside all areas of the facility. Each unit is individually alarmed and monitored from our reception with a twin burglar alarm system connected to BT’s Redcare system. Furthermore our temperature controlled storage facility with cooling accuracy within one degree Celsius protects your artwork from fading away through natural wear and tear. Heat, cold, dust, mould and humidity will not prematurely age your art in our units.

 

However, not everybody wants to keep their art visible! Chinese artist, Liu Bolin creates art work which he blends into the background so that it seems to disappear. His project “Hiding in the City” sees him merge his own body into his surroundings so that from a certain angle he appears invisible. But Bolin’s art carries a powerful message regarding China as a country and the role of the individual within. After having his studio torn down by the government, he made himself disappear as they so wished. Through cleverly disappearing in front of magazine racks and coal heaps, Lui Bolin’s pictures are conveying a strong political message.

 

Luckily for Bolin, here at Cube Fine Art Services, we are aware that every piece of art is unique and adapt to the individual. This February we are offering a free storage consultation to assess the best storage environment for your art... we’ll even try and sort something out for the disappearing kind!
 

Contact us today for more information.

 

 

Calender Timeline a la Song Dong

I can barely remember what I did last month, let alone the one before it. Consider trying to recall every single month of your life so far and encapsulating it in a picture. Well that’s exactly what Chinese artist, Song Dong, spent a year doing at the Asia Art Archive in Hong Kong. He created a separate illustration for each of the 432 months he had spent on the earth, accompanied by a short essay. These prints were copied and bound into 36 annual calendars to correlate with the life of the 36 year old Song Dong.

 However Mr Dong’s project did not end here: on the 21^st January, he invited over 400 members of the public to edit his illustrations, as they saw fit, to match their own interpretation. Copies of the calendar were placed on 432 desks where the public could add their own memories and add another layer of historical perspective. Song Dong’s project was already vast, but with the addition of public participation, this was art on a mass scale. For all of the original altered illustrations that do not get displayed in the Asia Art Archive and other galleries, it is necessary to preserve them in the appropriate manner. This event was history in the making with hundreds of unique pieces created in the blink of eye. Here at Cube Fine Art Services, we recognise the individuality of each artistic creation and endeavour to tailor storage to their bespoke needs.  

Whether it be Song Dong’s artistic creations, the altered public versions or your own artwork which holds a sentimental value, we are happy to store it for you. Our state of the art climate controlled facilities prevent premature ageing and protect the timeless quality of your artwork. So why not create your own calendar timeline today and store it with us here at Cube Fine Art Services. Contact us for more information.

 

Love Is In The Air

Cupid contacted us here at Cube Fine Art Services and told us that we must make sure that artwork is stored in the correct environment unique to its needs. That is why this February; we are offering a FREE expert storage consultation.

 

Our team has extensive expertise in creating protective environments for fine art and specialist pieces. We understand how no two items are the same and will endeavour to tailor the storage to your specific artistic needs, so that you are completely satisfied that you are leaving it in safe hands.

 

From advising you with regards to damage and risk assessments, the best environment for maintaining the integrity of your artwork to the legalities that need to be observed as part of the overseas shipping process, our expert team will work to create the best possible solution for you.

 

So contact us today to take advantage of this generous service, courtesy of Cupid.

 

Nibble Free Art

Did anyone hear BBC 5 Live’s, Shelagh Fogarty have an on-air panic when she saw a mouse roaming around the studio this week? She leapt onto her chair, proceeded to squeal at the little critter live on-air and then even went so far as to threaten resignation if the mouse so much as touched her.

However the little rodents have not only been paying a visit to the MediaCity studios in Salford. Pest control firm, Rentokil received over a 25% rise in call-outs for rodent infestations since October 2011. Yes it’s true; mice activity seems to be on a rise, not only at home but in businesses throughout the UK.  Especially during these harsh winter months, when they are more inclined to retreat into human quarters to avoid the big chill.

The little pesks will chew through pretty much anything they can get their gnashers on: anything from your skirting boards, to your piping... to your family heirlooms and priceless artwork. Unfortunately mice do not have an eye for Monet or any other artist for that matter. To make matters worse, insurers usually refuse to pay out for vermin damage.

So avoid a game of hide and squeak and keep the rodents at bay by opting for Cube Fine Art Services. The last thing you want is a nibble through your favourite work of art. Or storage facilities are not only mouse-free, but are also temperature controlled to avoid any premature aging or damage. Contact us for more help and information.

 

Don’t Miss Out on our Free Photographic Inventory Offer

The New Year might only seem like it was yesterday but we’re nearly at the end of January already. We therefore thought that we’d take this opportunity to remind you about our special offer which is only available until the end of the month.

We’re offering all our customers a FREE photographic inventory* of all their artwork and other pieces which are stored in our climate controlled storage facility.

Want to take advantage of this offer? Then contact us for more information but hurry as this offer has to end on 31^st January.

*Terms and conditions apply

Keep Your Valentine’s Gift a Surprise

The next major gift-giving day is Valentine’s Day which for those of you who are prone to forgetting is on 14^th February. If you have an elaborate gift in mind such as a large sculpture, watercolour, mosaic or other piece of artwork, if can be difficult to know where to store it in advance of the big day without it getting noticed or damaged.

We can offer the perfect solution – store your fine art or other fragile and precious gifts with us at Cube Fine Art Storage. Our state-of-the-art storage facility ensures that your well-chosen gift will stay safe whilst awaiting Valentine’s Day. We can even store your item in our climate controlled storage area if required too.

To find out more about our secure storage facility, please contact us.

Textile and Costume Storage at Cube Fine Art

At Cube Fine Art Services, we not only offer state-of-the-art storage for your piece of fine art but also for textile and costume collections too. We recognise the importance of treating these precious materials with the same professional care as your artwork so you can be assured that your textiles and costumes are in good hands with us.

Our special climate controlled storage area is ideal for preserving your textiles, keeping them at just the right temperature and humidity whilst protecting them from light. Plus if you put your items into our climate controlled storage facility during January, you can get our photography inventory service for FREE*

If you would like to take advantage of this special offer or would like to know more about our climate controlled storage facility, please contact us for more information.

Free Offer to Celebrate The New Year

Happy New Year!

2012 was a busy year for us here at Cube Fine Art Services. One of the new services we offered last year was a photo inventory service and it proved so popular that we thought we’d celebrate the birthday of its launch by giving it to you FREE*

Take out climate controlled storage with us in January and you will receive a full photo inventory of all your items completely FREE.

Want to know more about this fantastic offer? Then contact contact us for more information.