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| Christchurch Earthquake Photo by Gilly Needham |
Christchurch Earthquake Photographer Gilly Needham releases print
Picture hanging advice following the Christchurch earthquakes
Framed pictures dropped off walls in large numbers during the recent earthquakes in Christchurch. NZ Fine Prints is based in Christchurch and we have been dealing with hundreds of insurance quotes for replacement or repair of damaged prints since September 2010.
Our staff are frequently asked "How do we re-hang our pictures to minimise the risk of damaged artworks in future quakes? So we decided to find out more about the seismic performance of picture hanging systems commonly used in NZ. We were surprised to find that even the most basic system can actually do a pretty good job of protecting both the artwork and the occupants of the home, office or gallery (albeit with a couple of relatively minor tweaks).
The first piece of advice we have for hanging framed pictures in New Zealand's seismically active zones is don't hang any heavy artworks above your bed. The average person spends a third of their lifetime in bed - simple arithmatic means that the chances of being in bed when an earthquake strikes are quite high and no picture hanging system can protect you from structural damage to the actual wall causing the artwork to drop on your head.
The traditional picture hanging method using wire or cord on a conventional picture hook (pictured below) can actually be easily modified to greatly reduce the risk of falling down according to Ian Cooke of leading NZ picture framing supplier Larson Juhl. Ian manages the South Island branch of Larson Juhl and has been in the picture framing industry for 30 years. He told us about a couple of simple tricks:
According to Ian valuable artworks in galleries such as Christchurch Art Gallery which have security hangers behind the pictures also came through the earthquakes well because these types of hangers "allow the item to be slid down over two metal brackets and then further secured with a slotted security device at the bottom of the frame".
Another option is the gallery style hanging tracks that are about to be installed at NZ Fine Prints new gallery outside of Christchurch's CBD. This is a track that is securely screwed to the top of a wall employing a series of suspended nylon or fine wire droppers to which custom made hooks are attached (see picture above of a powder coated gallery style hanging track). The pictures are then hung from these hooks. Ian Cooke tells us that "while the pictures swung around on the droppers" during the Christchurch quakes people have reported to him "they did not fall off". Gallery hanging tracks such as the Stas brand which is stocked by Larson Juhl also have the benefit of letting galleries, homes and offices change their wall displays as often as they like without drilling new holes or damaging walls.
Our staff are frequently asked "How do we re-hang our pictures to minimise the risk of damaged artworks in future quakes? So we decided to find out more about the seismic performance of picture hanging systems commonly used in NZ. We were surprised to find that even the most basic system can actually do a pretty good job of protecting both the artwork and the occupants of the home, office or gallery (albeit with a couple of relatively minor tweaks).
The first piece of advice we have for hanging framed pictures in New Zealand's seismically active zones is don't hang any heavy artworks above your bed. The average person spends a third of their lifetime in bed - simple arithmatic means that the chances of being in bed when an earthquake strikes are quite high and no picture hanging system can protect you from structural damage to the actual wall causing the artwork to drop on your head.
The traditional picture hanging method using wire or cord on a conventional picture hook (pictured below) can actually be easily modified to greatly reduce the risk of falling down according to Ian Cooke of leading NZ picture framing supplier Larson Juhl. Ian manages the South Island branch of Larson Juhl and has been in the picture framing industry for 30 years. He told us about a couple of simple tricks:
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| Conventional Picture Hooks (image courtesy Larson Juhl) |
- Close the gap in the hook making it less likely the cord will bounce through the gap.
- Adequately secure the hook into the wall - into a stud if possible.
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| Gallery Hanging Track (image courtesy of Sydney Art & Framing Supplies) |
According to Ian valuable artworks in galleries such as Christchurch Art Gallery which have security hangers behind the pictures also came through the earthquakes well because these types of hangers "allow the item to be slid down over two metal brackets and then further secured with a slotted security device at the bottom of the frame".
Another option is the gallery style hanging tracks that are about to be installed at NZ Fine Prints new gallery outside of Christchurch's CBD. This is a track that is securely screwed to the top of a wall employing a series of suspended nylon or fine wire droppers to which custom made hooks are attached (see picture above of a powder coated gallery style hanging track). The pictures are then hung from these hooks. Ian Cooke tells us that "while the pictures swung around on the droppers" during the Christchurch quakes people have reported to him "they did not fall off". Gallery hanging tracks such as the Stas brand which is stocked by Larson Juhl also have the benefit of letting galleries, homes and offices change their wall displays as often as they like without drilling new holes or damaging walls.
NZ Prints: Christchurch Earthquake Update 3
We are slowly getting back to normal service levels. Special thanks to Paul Ryan, National Sales Manager at shelving specialists Hydestor New Zealand who are replacing our shelving at lightening speed (when we emailed photographs of our current shelving we were delighted to realise that Hydestor supplied our current racking over 30 years ago). Paul had concept drawings to us within hours and rapidly re-configured the standard shelving set up to suit our new location and the latest standards for storage of fine art (it's all metal shelves now). Sonoco NZ who supply all our poster rolls are doing a special run for us today in our standard sizes - an incredible help when we have virtually no mailing cylinders left. If we ran out of these we can't ship a single art print. Packaging House Auckland has delivered our special acid free tissue that we use to wrap prints already. Our incoming couriers are now delivering artists' prints to us again, our supply chain is cranking back into gear. Thanks to artists such as Tony Ogle who are kindly drop-shipping prints directly to customers who need them immediately for gifts too.
Also a huge thanks to our customers who are continuing to buy prints from NZ's largest art print store over the past week. Especially to those who are patiently waiting for us to track or ship orders made around the time of the Christchurch quake and the customers waiting for framed prints that have been delayed for at least another two weeks. Your patience during this difficult time is helping us concentrate on the key tasks as our business recovers from this event.
It was also a personal milestone for our catalogue manager when the first new print by a NZ artist to be catalogued for sale after the earthquake, Kiwiana specialist Matt Guild's "Mary Lou Dolls", was processed and uploaded to www.prints.co.nz earlier this afternoon (the first print in the prints for children collection we were working on at the moment the quake struck Christchurch last week). With a three month waiting list for new work this list doesn't get any shorter if Antony's not doing his job of cataloguing NZ's latest art prints for sale for a whole week.
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| Mary Lou Dolls by Matt Guild |
It was also a personal milestone for our catalogue manager when the first new print by a NZ artist to be catalogued for sale after the earthquake, Kiwiana specialist Matt Guild's "Mary Lou Dolls", was processed and uploaded to www.prints.co.nz earlier this afternoon (the first print in the prints for children collection we were working on at the moment the quake struck Christchurch last week). With a three month waiting list for new work this list doesn't get any shorter if Antony's not doing his job of cataloguing NZ's latest art prints for sale for a whole week.
NZ Prints - Christchurch Earthquake Update 2
From Monday 28th February NZ Prints staff are now working at our temporary office outside of the CBD. All our computer systems are unaffected and running as normal. Please note all NZ Fine Prints contact details such as phone numbers and email addresses have been diverted and have not changed - all NZ Prints contact details are listed here. Artists and suppliers please re-direct all deliveries from 28th February to our temporary office at 139 Hackthorne Rd, Cashmere.
We are currently unable to ship art print and poster orders due to our gallery being within the Christchurch CBD cordon and normal courier services being unavailable. Thank you for your patience during this difficult time - we will start shipping prints and posters as soon as possible.
NZ Prints - Christchurch Earthquake Update
All NZ Fine Prints staff and families are ok. We are unable to ship orders due to our building being within the CBD cordon as well as disruption to normal post and courier services.
We appreciate the emails and calls of support from our artists, suppliers and customers throughout New Zealand and around the world.
Our focus is on our families and friends during this difficult time. Our staff will respond to emails and telephone messages in due course, please be patient at it will be at least several days before we can even begin to offer anything close to our normal levels of customer service. Please email us at enquiries@prints.co.nz or leave a message on 0800 800 278 and we will get back to you as soon as we can.
We appreciate the emails and calls of support from our artists, suppliers and customers throughout New Zealand and around the world.
Our focus is on our families and friends during this difficult time. Our staff will respond to emails and telephone messages in due course, please be patient at it will be at least several days before we can even begin to offer anything close to our normal levels of customer service. Please email us at enquiries@prints.co.nz or leave a message on 0800 800 278 and we will get back to you as soon as we can.
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