Modern Art Foundry
| Modern art foundry logo Modern art foundry logo | |
| Industry | Foundry |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1932 |
| Founder | John Spring |
| Headquarters | 18-70 41st Street Astoria, New York 11105, United States |
Key people | Jeffrey Spring, President |
| Website | www |
The Modern Art Foundry is a longstanding foundry situated in Astoria, Queens, New York, founded in 1932 by John Spring. Currently managed by his family descendants, the facility operates out of the former carriage house belonging to the Steinway Mansion.
Focusing on limited edition sculptures for galleries and museums, the foundry utilizes the lost-wax casting method to produce large-scale bronze pieces. Additionally, it offers services in artwork conservation and upkeep.
History
Established by Polish immigrant John Spring in 1932, the original location was on Astoria Boulevard, close to what is now the Socrates Sculpture Park. In 1947, the operation moved from its initial site near the East River to its present address. Spring expanded the enterprise through collaborations with notable artists such as Jose de Creeft, Jacques Lipchitz, Louise Bourgeois, Gaston Lachaise, Joan Miró, Alexander Archipenko, and Isamu Noguchi.
Operations
In contrast to many foundries that adopt ceramic shell casting, Modern Art Foundry continues to apply the classical lost-wax casting technique for large sculptures. This approach entails sculpting a wax model, coating it with plastic, heating it in a kiln to eliminate the wax, then casting molten bronze into the resulting mold—yielding an accurate bronze reproduction of the original design.
The foundry is distinguished for its meticulous craftsmanship and inventive methods. For instance, Bourgeois entrusted it with casting her renowned Maman sculpture due to its esteemed reputation. During the early 1960s, artist Jasper Johns created several significant pieces there including "Light Bulb," "Flashlight; Painted Bronze (ale cans)," and "Flag."
In 2002, the foundry undertook a restoration project replacing original zinc figures of the 1867 Civil War Soldiers Monument at Green-Wood Cemetery, Brooklyn, with more durable bronze replicas.