Art Advisor | Account Executive for Arts & Culture | Communications Consultant | Editorial
Do you think all the world’s art is on show in museums and galleries? Where do you think that collections of art sit when not on show? A lesser talked about issue within the art world is the mass storage of collections in warehouses around the world. Whilst it is a shame we don’t get to see all the magnificent works of art, a more pressing issue is the environmental impact of storing so many works. Due to conservation concerns, these warehouses are climate controlled to ensure the stored pieces do not deteriorate over time. It takes a substantial amount of energy to keep these warehouses running efficiently (and this energy is more often than not from non-renewable sources). These high energy demands take up a huge chunk of the carbon footprint of museums and galleries. Whilst transforming these facilities into an open storage gallery for public view is a step in the right direction for connecting “lost art” with the art community, from a long term sustainability perspective, there needs to be more transparency about the current management of collections behind the scenes.
Around 300 Modern and contemporary works belonging to the city of Florence are now on public view as the civic museum launches its new open storage facility.
