Tote that barge, lift that bale. Haul that painting.

Or just pick up a giant photograph.

Actually, art handlers know what they are doing, but it’s difficult, even dangerous  work. Anytime I visit a gallery or museum, I wonder how something huge actually gets put in place, like the 1999 untitled sculpture by artist Anish Kapoor in the Denver Art Museum, which is part of the current “The Light Show.” Or Richard Serra’s steel plate sculpture  Basic Maintenance when it is on view.

As for tough work, this past week, Hyperallergic ran a series by reporter Zachary Small on the perils of being an art handler — the way the website marked the week of Labor Day. Today, they ran all five stories, which are linked to below.

The East Coast is the setting for these museums and galleries. The art handlers lead interesting lives, although in one instance, when an elevator failed, those who were involved in the crash were asked: Is the art okay? Chilly.

The image above is a detail of a photograph that was on the fourth installment.

https://hyperallergic.com/515321/the-museum-wall-that-broke-the-art-handlers-back/?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Special%20Art%20Handler%20090729%20-%20The%20Danger&utm_content=Special%20Art%20Handler%20090729%20-%20The%20Danger+CID_47447091d7fc79a369f7db177b55daf2&utm_source=HyperallergicNewsletter&utm_term=The%20Museum%20Wall%20That%20Broke%20the%20Art%20Handlers%20Back

https://hyperallergic.com/515322/the-art-handler-whose-shoulder-shattered-at-the-loading-dock/?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Special%20Art%20Handler%20090729%20-%20The%20Danger&utm_content=Special%20Art%20Handler%20090729%20-%20The%20Danger+CID_47447091d7fc79a369f7db177b55daf2&utm_source=HyperallergicNewsletter&utm_term=The%20Art%20Handler%20Whose%20Shoulder%20Shattered%20at%20the%20Loading%20Dock

https://hyperallergic.com/515323/the-art-handler-who-built-a-community-of-pride-around-his-work/?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Special%20Art%20Handler%20090729%20-%20The%20Danger&utm_content=Special%20Art%20Handler%20090729%20-%20The%20Danger+CID_47447091d7fc79a369f7db177b55daf2&utm_source=HyperallergicNewsletter&utm_term=The%20Art%20Handler%20Who%20Built%20a%20Community%20of%20Pride%20Around%20His%20Work

https://hyperallergic.com/515324/the-art-handler-who-fell-down-an-elevator-shaft/?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Special%20Art%20Handler%20090729%20-%20The%20Danger&utm_content=Special%20Art%20Handler%20090729%20-%20The%20Danger+CID_47447091d7fc79a369f7db177b55daf2&utm_source=HyperallergicNewsletter&utm_term=The%20Art%20Handler%20Who%20Fell%20Down%20an%20Elevator%20Shaft

The Art Handler Who Saved the Emancipation Proclamation From Drowning in Mountain Dew