Taking Artwork Out of Senegal: What to Check First

Taking artwork out of Senegal, whether in your luggage or by shipping it, rests on two documents worth keeping carefully: the purchase invoice and the certificate of authenticity signed by the artist. Senegal has ratified the 1970 UNESCO convention on cultural property; for a contemporary work bought at a gallery, the exact exit procedure is not publicly documented in detail, so it is worth checking directly with your carrier and the relevant authorities before you travel.

The two documents that matter

The invoice proves the purchase and its price, the certificate confirms the piece is genuinely by the artist. Keep both together, as a photo on your phone and as a paper copy in your bags, never only in checked luggage. At Ge'eza, both documents are handed over at the time of payment, whether the piece is collected at Point E or shipped.

Carry-on, checked baggage or freight

For a small or medium canvas, carrying it as hand luggage protects it better from the knocks and humidity of an aircraft hold. For a large format, or several pieces at once, air or sea freight arranged by a specialist carrier is the safer option. Either way, ask for suitable packing before you leave: rigid board, protective foam, and clear labelling if the piece travels without you.

Checking before you travel

Customs and export rules vary by destination as much as by Senegal, and they can change. Rather than relying on an unverified rule, it is better to call your chosen carrier and, if needed, the relevant customs service, explaining that the piece is a contemporary work bought at a gallery, with an invoice and a certificate. That check takes a few minutes and avoids a last-minute hold-up.

What Ge'eza offers

The gallery ships works outside Dakar on request, with packing suited to transport. The guide on shipping artwork from Dakar covers packing, timeframes and tracking. To understand what the certificate handed over at purchase contains, the article on the certificate of authenticity is the reference.

Before you leave

Before travelling with a piece, check three things: that the invoice and certificate are in your bags or available as a photo, that the packing protects the canvas from knocks and humidity, and that you have confirmed with your carrier what it accepts as carry-on or checked baggage. For any question about a specific piece before transport, Ge'eza's gallery answers on WhatsApp at +221 78 660 07 07.