The Art Handling Olympics Return!!!

Prepare yourself for some MacGuyver-style art moves by the city’s quick-thinking, always prepared art handlers.

Five years ago we saw the premiere of the Art Handling Olympics, held in Ramiken Crucible’s basement; this spring, we’ll see the Olympics take off once more, location TBD. Aptly described by Randy Kennedy in the New York Times as a “Jackass”-type event, the first competition pitted about a dozen four-man teams (and one all-women team, “Screw ’em”) in themed challenges. Those feats seek to demonstrate essential art handler skills, such as the ability to hang while being yelled at by German curators, brute strength, and of course, packing, unwrapping, and stapling. About 200 people came to watch the event.

As with the last competition, there is not yet an open call for competitors—just a promo video and a website. As soon as details are released, though, we’ll be the first on this.