Hand Gestures

Flattening, hammering, modeling, mixing, polishing- working with hands and fire. The result is a sculpture, the bronze dog designed by Velasco Vitali. Established in 1913, the Fonderia Artistica Battaglia in Milan is one of the oldest bronze foundries in Italy, a place where they still use the sculpting technique known as lost-wax casting, which was invented in ancient times. Over the centuries, it has been used in the creation of small, complex forms-such as jewelry-as well as for large monuments. While this method does not require any advanced technology, it is very time-consuming. First, a shape is carved out of a block of wax, and then plaster is poured in. The mold is then dried and baked, during which the wax melts and is replaced by hot metal. Francesco Clerici's documentary shows audiences how this complicated process works, while also telling the story of this art form, recorded in the muscle memory of sculptors, through their movements, as well as how and where the process is passed down from generation to generation.