Oscars 2023: How the Oscar statues are made

Joyce tells us that, for this new commission, the Academy wanted to return to the original cast bronze method of manufacture. In addition, they wanted to keep the character of Stanley’s statue, combining it with a more modern one. 3D scanning, digital modeling and 3D printing allowed the foundry’s digital artists to work alongside the craftsmen to achieve a design that would enhance the qualities of both models. 

So how long does it take to make a single Oscar? Seventy-five hours, if all goes well. As Joyce points out, the calculation is approximate because it doesn’t take into account two determining factors: a super-skilled team, and it takes generations to perfect those skills, and an exceptional facility. Specifically, the magic of the Oscars comes to life at Rock Tavern, 60 miles north of New York City in the Hudson Valley. In the huge 5500-square meter facility you can see overhead cranes sliding back and forth carrying tons of materials. Inside, 85 people, from a wide variety of backgrounds, are employed. There are no restrictions or mandatory qualifications, but all of the makers have unique skills and experience needed to anticipate the problems and challenges of bringing to life the projects of great artists. “Some of them have been working here for 50 years. We’re fortunate to have 80-year-old master craftsmen who pass on their knowledge to younger people.

It’s a fantastic place to work; those who join the team tend to stay for a long time. We’re one big family.” The foundry was created in 1968 by master metallurgist Dick Polich, who with tireless curiosity and experimentation found revolutionary solutions for artists such as Frank Stella and Alexander Calder. He thus helped to open up the conversation about the figure of the art fabricator who, though working behind the scenes, is as much of a protagonist as the person who conceived the creative idea. With his retirement in 2020, the foundry became part of UAP (Urban Art Projects), a global company that realizes architectural and design projects. To manage the expansion of the team while maintaining excellence in specializations, an in-house trade school was established at Rock Tavern. Those arriving for the first time in the wax room (where the models for lost-wax casting are made, including for the Oscars), embark on a path that will take them to learn from the experts in each department, proceeding by successive steps. The School of Making is so effective that it has recently opened its doors to some of the foundry’s own artists as well, as observing up close how the works take shape can breathe new life into their creative process. 

Similarly, will knowing where the Oscars come from transform our experience of Academy Awards night?