Posts by Art Dom

In this article, we have compiled the most popular documents necessary for professional artists to protect their rights, freedoms, and interests. The documents were prepared taking into account current trends in the modern art market and the needs of both artists and buyers. The documents are also drafted in accordance with the provisions of Ukrainian legislation and international law norms.

Many artists, collectors, and owners of artworks face the need to prepare documents for the international transportation of their works. Regardless of whether the painting is being sold, presented at an exhibition, or being moved to another country, one of the mandatory stages becomes the expertise procedure.

Many artists focus exclusively on creativity, forgetting about an important tool for professional promotion — the resume. Yet a well-composed CV opens doors to galleries, helps to participate in exhibitions, and significantly influences the purchase of paintings by collectors around the world.

An artist's signature is not just a small element on the canvas, but an important part of the artwork. It helps to identify the author, confirms the origin of the work, and shapes the artist's professional image in the art market. For collectors, galleries, and buyers, the signature is often the first sign that the work has established authorship.

If you are an artist or a gallery and you send paintings, drawings, graphics or sculptures abroad, it is important to know in advance how much the recipient (buyer) will have to pay when they receive the parcel. This article collects an up‑to‑date database of customs duties and VAT rates on art objects in more than 50 countries worldwide. At the bottom is an interactive map where green countries mean minimal duties (or their complete absence) and red countries show the highest rates. Just hover the cursor or tap on the country to see the details. 

Buying a painting can be a simple choice of decor for an interior, or it can become part of a serious collection. The problem is that a decorative painting and collectible fine art can sometimes look similar: a beautiful frame, an expressive subject, a signature, paint texture, or an “antique” appearance. To make buying paintings a conscious decision, it is important to understand how interior decor differs from a work that may have artistic, historical, or market value.

Transporting a non-standard art object is more difficult than sending a regular painting. Installations, ceramics, panels, author’s decor, or three-dimensional works may have a complex shape, fragile details, unusual weight, and special packaging requirements. If the object needs to be sent abroad, it is important to think through not only the route, but also the documents, fixation inside the packaging, and the delivery method in advance. Even if you already know how to send a painting abroad from Ukraine , a standard scheme may not work for a non-standard art object.

If a painting needs to be sent abroad, it is important not only to choose a carrier and packaging. One of the first steps is to correctly describe the artwork for the documents. Based on the description, specialists, experts, and customs authorities understand exactly what is being exported: a contemporary painting, old painting, icon, graphic work, sculpture, or another art object. An accurate description helps prepare documents faster and understand whether a permit to export a painting from Ukraine is required. This is especially important if you are already trying to understand how to send a painting abroad from Ukraine without delays.

International shipment of art requires more attention than ordinary parcel delivery. A painting, graphic work, sculpture, or art object is not just cargo, but an item with artistic, material, and sometimes cultural value. That is why delivery of paintings abroad is always connected not only with logistics, but also with packaging, documentation, route planning, and possible customs issues.

Urgent export of a painting is always a situation where you cannot rely on delivery speed alone. If the work is being sent to a buyer, to an exhibition, together with its owner, or simply needs to cross the border quickly, it is important to remember that separate rules apply to works of art. In Ukraine, some such items require an expert examination, and if the object is recognized as a cultural value, a certificate granting the right of export or temporary export is issued. This certificate is issued free of charge, and the maximum period for reviewing the application is up to 30 calendar days.