“Artists turn to them to realize ideas” – Kommersant FM

Kommersant FM columnist Dmitry Butkevich talks about the best workshops on the art market.

Considering the list of The Top 75 Art Professionals, we come to what we call “Performers” or “Manufacturers”, who are called Fabricators in English.

Even during the Renaissance, there were entire studios in which experienced artists churned out altars and religious paintings. Well, today there are “giants” on the market, for example, the companies of Jeff Koons or Simone Lee, and the “Warhol Factory” is worth remembering.

Artists turn to them to realize ideas in any number, on scales from modest to titanic, regardless of whether they are taken from a sketch on a napkin or a computer file. For collectors, they can help fulfill a large order or assist in the restoration of a work.

So, Lippincott’s. Founded in Connecticut in 1966, the company was the first and, for over 10 years, the only manufacturer to work exclusively with artists. Barnett Newman’s “Broken Obelisk” (1963-1969), Claes Oldenburg’s tall clothespin sculptures from the 1970s, works by Alexander Calder, Donald Judd, Ellsworth Kelly, Louise Nevelson, and many others.

Lite Brite Neon. Since 1999, the company has been helping artists translate their ideas into neon.

New York-based Milgo/Bufkin, a custom architectural metal fabricator. She has collaborated with Richard Serra, Claes Oldenburg and Tom Wesselmann. But its most recognizable product may be the dozens of Robert Indiana “Love” sculptures.

Walla Walla Foundry, founded in 1980, is now one of the world’s largest fine art foundries. The company has completed projects for artists such as Urs Fischer and Yayoi Kusama, some weighing tens of thousands of kilograms. Although the foundry is best known for its metal work, it also produces wood, resin, glass and plaster products.