Our HistoryOver 40 years of experience
Let's go back in time and take a look behind the scenes at the art foundry.
1981 – 1998
In his twenties, Jo Van Geert apprenticed with bronze caster Bert Ghijsels at the internationally renowned Pakeshof in Erembodegem.
1998 – 1999
In 1998, Jo founded his own bronze foundry, "Kunstgieterij Van Geert," in his garage. He did this out of a love for the craft and a desire to professionalize the production process.
A year later, as his success grew, Jo Van Geert moved to his current location in Aalst, which is better equipped for larger projects.
2000 – 2015
Jo continues to expand Kunstgieterij Van Geert. Their working methods are standardized. Jo and his team translate artists' ideas or creations into bronze, guiding them through the entire process from start to finish. The team works for both emerging artists and established figures in Belgium.
2016 – 2021
Increasingly, Kunstgieterij Van Geert undertakes large and complex bronze projects, such as “Protected Paradise” by Koen Van Mechelen. This magnificent work, a twelve-meter-high chicken leg weighing 5 tons, was admired during the Venice Biennale in 2019.
In 2020, the 22-meter-high bronze sculpture by Belgian artist Thomas Lerooy was realized and installed on the promenade of Knokke-Heist. The work “Tower” consists of 49 stacked bronze heads.
Philippe Geluck's drawings of Le Chat are also brought to life in bronze, reaching a size of 2 meters. The traveling exhibition featuring 20 bronze versions of Le Chat opened in 2021 on the Champs-Elysées in Paris and has since visited cities such as Bordeaux, Monaco, Montreux, and Brussels.
2022 - Present
In 2022, Sara Louwagie joined the art foundry to write the next chapter in its history and ensure the continuation of the bronze casting craft.
Her vision? To combine respect for the tradition and craftsmanship of bronze casting with innovation and experimentation, and to further develop the studio into a home and inspiration platform for artists. Kunstgieterij Van Geert continues under the name “Van Geert Art Foundry.”
As a master bronze caster, Jo Van Geert laid the technical foundation upon which the foundry continues to build today. Although he is no longer actively involved in the daily operations of the studio, his legacy remains at the heart of the workshop.
