Photostory #272: Milestone in Canadian Art Annals: Canada's Largest Bronze Casting Goes on Display

Photographers
Irving Dooh
Maker
National Film Board of Canada
Release Date
November 15, 1960
Collection
CMCP fonds
Credit Line
Canadian Museum of Contemporary Photography fonds, National Gallery of Canada Library and Archives
Main Text
The largest bronze casting ever turned out in Canada has recently been completed. Created by the talented Ottawa artist, Art Price, the tender and beautiful "Family Group" towers almost 9 feet in the air, weighs, 5,950 lbs. In the past, sculptors in Canada have not only been without honour, they have been without an art foundry where they can have their work cast. Sculptors who produce figures of heroic proportions must send their work to Europe or the United States for casting. To versatile Art Price, the situation had become not only unsatisfactory but intolerable. With characteristic energy and inventiveness he set out to do something about it. Searching around he found a small commercial foundry where sympathetic foundry-men agreed to work with him in a series of experimentations in casting metals. Five years and one hundred and fifty pieces later Price felt ready to attempt his "Family Group". There followed 6 months of strenuous effort studded with setbacks but capped with success. After final assembly the casting was finished in a soft patina predominantly golden in tone with light browns and greens shading to dark blue in the recessed areas. Price, who has been awarded a Canada Council grant to continue his research in new methods of casting bronze, could chalk up another triumph and sculpture in Canada received an encouraging boost towards fresh horizons.
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