Art- behind the scenes

 Appreciating art needs a lot more than just a discerning eye. Dubai-based Freight Systems, is learning the ropes and reaping the fruits.

Behind the bright red Freight Systems warehouse door in Jebel Ali lie thousands of square metres of art just waiting to be snatched up by the region’s most sophisticated buyers. With auction houses such as Christies, Hortons, Bonhams and Sotheby’s moving in, and events such as the Magic of Persia Exhibition and Gulf Art Fair popping up, the Dubai art scene is thriving. Christies, for example has pulled in US$61 million from three art and two jewellery auctions in the past few years. And along with demand for such products, of course, comes demand for the necessary transportation and storage.

Freight Systems is one local provider capitalising on this demand, having set up an entire division dedicated to art. “Dubai is fast-becoming an art centre of the world and it would be very, very foolhardy not to be a part of it,” says Sushant Malik, Regional Director, Freight Systems and FSL Fine Arts.

The company started its art career by teaming up with Christies for the renowned British auction house’s last three auctions in the region. “We officially represent Christies in Dubai,” says Malik proudly.

“Christies has been the mainstay in understanding and training us,” he says. “It’s been a learning curve. We are still new to the business, so we do learn a lot from the people we handle.”

“We require freight forwarders to provide a very efficient and effective service, with artworks being handled with utmost care and following international standards and practices,” says Michael Jeha, Managing Director of Christies Middle East.

While Freight Systems avoids Christies’ direct competitors such as Sothebys, it has used its newfound expertise to handle other art-related events, for example servicing the majority of dealers at the Magic of Persia Exhibition in February.

The company takes care of the entire transport process, including customs clearance, storage, on-site delivery according to gallery floor plans, packaging and assembling.

“It’s a different ball game,” says Malik of the niche industry. “You cannot have generic customer service people working part-time in fine art. You’ve got to understand all the nitty-gritty details.”

Malik says he works only with “premiere” airlines, such as Emirates and KLM, who have the facilities and expertise to handle art. “Art does not move as general cargo,” he says. “We try and get it on a direct flight, of course, to cut out any issues that may arise from offloading.”

He says he has no worries about the art once it is on the aircraft. “It’s secured, it’s insured, there are special handling procedures airlines have.”

”Emirates SkyCargo ensures that valuable shipments such as artwork are always safe and secure, right from the moment of acceptance through to final delivery at the destination,” says Sunimal Fernando, Manager Cargo Hub Operations, Emirates. “Specially developed containers, highly secured storage areas and constant surveillance guarantees the highest level of security for your valuables.”

If a shipment is declared as very high value, Emirates SkyCargo enlists the services of security services provider Transguard, a division of the Emirates group.

“When highly valuable cargo such as artwork arrives at Dubai International Airport, it is met at the aircraft by Transguard security staff and escorted to the Transguard valuable vault,” says Rabie Atie, Manager Transguard. “Secure transport is arranged in modern, fully-equipped secured trucks.”

“Transguard’s state-of-the-art, custom built vaults, rank amongst the largest in the Middle East,” he boasts. “Valuables can be securely stored and delivered the next day or as required.”

Freight Systems is also responsible for the massive paper work it takes to move the pieces through Dubai customs. “Customs is coming to terms with how this product works,” says Malik. “It’s something totally new. There were a few little issues initially, but as we deal with them more, they understand what we are all about.”

To transport the goods once they are in Dubai, the company has a specially-designed, temperature-controlled truck. Malik says, when transporting Christies’ artwork, the truck is accompanied by additional security personnel provided by the auction house, as well as security cars driving in the front and back. He insists the convoy, however, is unarmed – “we don’t want to create a scene,” he says.

The company has reserved 6,000 sq feet of temperature controlled space exclusively for storing fine art. “If things go well, I want to double this space up,” says Malik. “I’d like to have 12,000 sq feet in the next quarter if I can.”

These 12,000 sq feet, he explains, will be divided into 1,000 sq foot compartments, to be used as private mini-museums. Customers will have exclusive access to their art in these fully-secured compartments, which will be monitored by individual CCTVs. Malik says customers can even access footage online with a personal password, so they can see their art from anywhere in the world.

“A lot of customers who invest in art are looking for specific areas to store,” he says. “You don’t find that kind of storage in Dubai, so that’s something we’d like to do.”

Malik admits he’s no art connoisseur; but he’s willing to learn. “I’m trying to understand what it’s all about,” he says enthusiastically.

But he may have to stick to window shopping. “The prices are staggering. It takes the wind out of you just to look at them.”

Under instructions from the dealer, his company delivers pieces to high profile, often royal, clients. “‘Get it ready, my private jet is leaving in a few hours,’” he says, describing customer requests. “That’s the world they’re living in.”