![]() Modern art foundry logo | |
Industry | Foundry |
---|---|
Founded | 1932 |
Founder | John Spring [1] |
Headquarters | 18-70 41st Street Astoria, New York 11105, United States |
Key people | Jeffrey Spring, President [2] |
Website |
www |
The Modern Art Foundry is an historic foundry in Astoria, Queens, New York, founded in 1932 by John Spring. His descendants continue to operate the business [3] in what used to be the carriage house of the Steinway Mansion. [2]
Modern Art Foundry specializes in working with artists who create limited edition works, usually intended for museums and galleries. [4] The foundry utilizes the lost-wax casting method for producing its large-scale work. [3] It also does maintenance and conservation of existing works. [5]
John Spring, a Polish immigrant, started his business in 1932 on Astoria Boulevard, at the end near what is now the Socrates Sculpture Park. [4] In 1947, the foundry moved from its location near the East River to where it is at present. [2] Spring built the business on close relationships with a small group of "prominent and prolific" artists. Among the artists who have worked there are Jose de Creeft, Jacques Lipchitz, Louise Bourgeois, [3] Gaston Lachaise, Joan Miró, Alexander Archipenko, and Isamu Noguchi. [6]
In contrast to most foundries that have switched over to ceramic shell casting, Modern Art utilizes the lost-wax casting method for producing its large-scale work. [3] Workers first create a wax copy of the artist's original model and then apply a plastic coating to it. The mold is then fired in a kiln, which causes the wax to melt away. Molten bronze is then poured into the mold. This method yields an exact bronze replica of the artist's original model. [3]
The foundry is known for its exacting and innovative work. Bourgeois chose the foundry to cast the Maman sculpture because of its reputation and output. [3] In the early 1960s, Jasper Johns cast "Light Bulb," "Flashlight; Painted Bronze (ale cans)", "Painted Bronze (paintbrushes)", "Flag", and "Bronze (Light Bulb, Socket, Wire on Grid" at the foundry. [7]
In 2002, artisans at the foundry replaced the original zinc statues that were part of the 1867 Civil War Soldiers Monument in the Green-Wood Cemetery, Brooklyn, with bronze replicas. [8]
![]() Modern art foundry logo | |
Industry | Foundry |
---|---|
Founded | 1932 |
Founder | John Spring [1] |
Headquarters | 18-70 41st Street Astoria, New York 11105, United States |
Key people | Jeffrey Spring, President [2] |
Website |
www |
The Modern Art Foundry is an historic foundry in Astoria, Queens, New York, founded in 1932 by John Spring. His descendants continue to operate the business [3] in what used to be the carriage house of the Steinway Mansion. [2]
Modern Art Foundry specializes in working with artists who create limited edition works, usually intended for museums and galleries. [4] The foundry utilizes the lost-wax casting method for producing its large-scale work. [3] It also does maintenance and conservation of existing works. [5]
John Spring, a Polish immigrant, started his business in 1932 on Astoria Boulevard, at the end near what is now the Socrates Sculpture Park. [4] In 1947, the foundry moved from its location near the East River to where it is at present. [2] Spring built the business on close relationships with a small group of "prominent and prolific" artists. Among the artists who have worked there are Jose de Creeft, Jacques Lipchitz, Louise Bourgeois, [3] Gaston Lachaise, Joan Miró, Alexander Archipenko, and Isamu Noguchi. [6]
In contrast to most foundries that have switched over to ceramic shell casting, Modern Art utilizes the lost-wax casting method for producing its large-scale work. [3] Workers first create a wax copy of the artist's original model and then apply a plastic coating to it. The mold is then fired in a kiln, which causes the wax to melt away. Molten bronze is then poured into the mold. This method yields an exact bronze replica of the artist's original model. [3]
The foundry is known for its exacting and innovative work. Bourgeois chose the foundry to cast the Maman sculpture because of its reputation and output. [3] In the early 1960s, Jasper Johns cast "Light Bulb," "Flashlight; Painted Bronze (ale cans)", "Painted Bronze (paintbrushes)", "Flag", and "Bronze (Light Bulb, Socket, Wire on Grid" at the foundry. [7]
In 2002, artisans at the foundry replaced the original zinc statues that were part of the 1867 Civil War Soldiers Monument in the Green-Wood Cemetery, Brooklyn, with bronze replicas. [8]