The Fonderia Artistica Mapelli makes sculptures, mostly in bronze, using the lost wax casting technique
Since its foundation in 1968 the policy of the Fonderia has been to follow the artist, designer or creative in all phases of the process: from the prototype phase – making a studio available on site to model the prototype – to the installation of the final work in the selected location. The Fonderia is specialised in the building of chalk casts, silicone rubber moulds, melts and all processes related to this type of work: cleaning, finishing, coating through chemical reaction (particular attention is given to this process as the colour enhances all details of the sculpture), assembly and installation.
Mostly working on sculpture of great dimensions, the Fonderia works with micro melts with specific machinery, the same used in goldsmiths labs. The material used for the melt is bronze, but upon request work can be carried out with aluminium, brass and nickel silver (an alloy of copper, zinc and nickel). The prototypes used are usually chalk reproductions of the artist’s work, on some occasion, prototypes realised with 3D printers can be used.
The foundry collaborates with magnifiers, specialists able to reproduce a prototype in scale, curating all details in small dimensions. For great artworks and monuments the Fonderia carries out the installation as well: shipping parts to the selected location, assembling them with a crane, finishing the work and adding the last touches to the final work.
ARTISTS
For over 45 year the Fonderia Mapelli collaborates with artist of great relevance, from Italy and abroad. Among the many others: Franco Zazzeri, Pino Di Gennaro, Giancarlo Defendi, Paolo Borghi, Riccardo Cordero, Gianni Brusamolino, Mario Rudelli, Nado Canuti, Abram, Ignazio Campagna, Pietro Scampini, Paola Ravasio, Dolores Previtali, Mats Aberg, Valerio Righini, Giò Di Busca, Mauro Baldessari, Vito Cimarosti, Giorgio Galletti, Franco Fossa, Francesco Somaini, Aligi Sassu, Gianfranco Lamon, Jucci Ugolotti, Eva Olah, Alberto Meli, Salvatore Lovaglio, Mauro Ceglie, Antonio Franzetti, Lucio Oliveri, Charles Correia.
Large sculptures and monuments
The Fonderia Artistica Mapelli makes its experience in lost wax manufacturing available for the production of large dimension artworks. Examples of this are the Monumneto a Re Manfredi, in Manfredonia, the Monumento alla Resistenza, in Piazza 25 Aprile at Cesate, the Monumento alla Tessitrice di Menaggio, and the one erected in honour of the Rovagnati family in Biassano. Statues and large size sculptures realised in the foundry are in squares all over the World: from Europe to Japan, South Korea to the USA, Latin America to Iraq.
Sculpture
Sculptures
The Fonderia Artistica Mapelli has collaborated with some of the most important artists in Italy and abroad for over 45 years.
Design
The Fonderia Artistica Mapelli collaborated with internationally famed designers that want to combine their design portfolio to experience and artisanal professionalism at the foundry.
University labs
The Fonderia Artistica Mapelli has collaborated for many years with the Accademia delle Belle Arti of Brera. The foundry is used as a real university lab where students can put into practice the teachings and develop a dissertation project.