Originally Posted by
Chris Barber
Hi,
As Tom said, it sounds like movement in the sculpture abrading the dartek-lined cushions. The damage pictured in the photo looks more severe than what I was picturing. I wonder if moisture in the artwork or in the packing environment played a role in the damage as well.
Wrapping the object sounds like a viable solution, though Dartek is not my favorite material for wrapping irregularly shaped objects due to the way it can form sharp creases & kinks. And while it is relatively tough, once it is torn the tear will run. Another material you could try on foam pads for sensitive objects that cannot be wrapped is teflon, but it is expensive. Another versatile material for either lining the cushions or wrapping the object (or both) is HDPE, high-density polyethylene, the very thin & low-friction plastic used to make grocery bags etc. It's widely available in rolls like the more common low-density plastic film.
Also important are controlling the climates of the packing, transit & storage environments, and securing the object so that it will not rub against the padding. If the piece is heavy, it may have wanted a higher density of foam.
Chris