Press Kit

The TorArt Press Kit contains everything you need, from quotes to press coverage.

TORART is a factory that specialises in processing marble and stone. Established in 2004 by Giacomo Massari and Filippo Tincolini in Fantiscritti, the workshop is located in the stunning basin of the Apuan Alps, where Michelangelo once sourced precious white marble for his sculptures.

Situated outside the town, the factory is a place of ‘thought and inspiration’, surrounded by white marble and in close proximity to the workers who extract it daily. The workshop boasts marvellous views extending all the way to the sea. In Dante's writings, this location was said to be the hometown of the soothsayer Aron, who could see the stars and sea without any limits to his gaze. The two founders chose this location for the convenience of sourcing marble blocks, particularly for valuable statue-making, directly from the quarry.

TORART has become an international point of reference since its inception. Renowned artists such as Jeff Koons, Barry x Ball, Francesco Vezzoli, Vanessa Beecroft, Giuseppe Penone, Zaha Hadid, Maurizio Cattelan, and others have sought the services of TORART. In addition to these artists, major museums and companies have also commissioned TORART to reproduce historical artworks, generating worldwide media attention.

Artists choose TORART because they know they can rely on professionals capable of overseeing the entire project process, from its initial stages to delivery. TORART accompanies customers throughout the conception phase and beyond, attending to every detail with professionalism and quality. It combines respect for traditional craftsmanship with the most advanced technologies.

TORART employs cutting-edge robots manufactured by ROBOTOR, a company specialising in using industrial robots for stone milling. Thanks to these robots, TORART can complete projects in a fraction of the time it would take using traditional methods, including when you factor in manual finishing. The fact that TORART has worked with internationally renowned artists like Jeff Koons is a testament to the quality and reliability of its work, as it can create sculptures that were previously impossible to achieve within the time constraints of modern society.

According to TORART’s founders, their ultimate goal is to push beyond boundaries and make the impossible possible for artists while making their solutions accessible to all. TORART has ushered in a new era of sculpting, replacing chisels and dust with scans and point clouds, while ROBOTOR technology reduces risks and simplifies processing phases to the maximum. Although robot sculptors are now a reality, TORART stresses that robot artists will never exist.
 

The ROBOTOR© project is based on a precise philosophy and 18 years of experience in stone milling. By using suitable tools and optimising work paths, the machine can operate uninterrupted 24 hours a day, enabling precise control of processing times and costs. This technology allows operators to attend to other tasks while waiting for the process to finish. This philosophy has guided the development of the system and its various components.

At the heart of ROBOTOR© is OR-OS, a revolutionary self-programming software 
for CNC milling that allows anyone to use robots to perform complex tasks through intuitive interfaces without the need for specific programming skills. 
 
OR-OS streamlines the manufacturing process by automating toolpath generation from 3D models. The process is as easy as 1-2-3: first, a 3D file of the model to be made is uploaded; second, the desired shape is chosen; and third, a machining type is selected based on the required quality and time. No manual intervention from the operator is required, making the process efficient and straightforward.

Thanks to machine sensors, milling is monitored in real-time for effective 24-hour machining.
 

TORART has gained significant international recognition through its replicas of renowned historical works. By utilising technology, TORART provides a solution to the fragility of cultural heritage, providing access to artworks that have been destroyed due to natural disasters or human-caused events, works that cannot be moved from their original location, and works that are subject to disputes over rightful ownership or are simply impossible to display. 
In 2016, TORART achieved international recognition for one of its missions – creating a scale replica of the Monumental Arch of Palmyra, also known as the Arc de Triomphe, which had been destroyed by ISIS in 2015. Using images taken before its destruction, TORART developed a 3D model to create a perfect replica on a 1:3 scale, as the original monument stood about 20 metres high. In just five weeks, TORART's robots processed 20 tonnes of Egyptian marble, completing a project that spanned two continents and covered more than 7,000km. The replica was first publicly presented on April 19, 2016, in London's Trafalgar Square, in front of the National Gallery, before being displayed at City Hall Park in Manhattan, NYC, on September 19, 2016.

The New York Times compiled a list of the most significant works in 2016, with the reconstruction of the Monumental Arch of Palmyra taking the top spot. This arch continued to capture the world's attention at the World Government Summit in 2017. The summit, which focused on utilising innovation and technology to tackle universal challenges, was held in Dubai in February of that year.

In just over ten days in 2020, TORART carved a marble replica of one of Canova's most famous sculptures, Psyche Revived by Cupid’s Kiss, which originally took the neoclassical master five years to complete in 1793. Similar to previous projects, a 3D file was created by scanning a plaster model of the sculpture displayed at the Louvre in Paris. A replica of the original was then made out of a 10-tonne block of white Carrara marble and exhibited in Rome as part of the “Eternal Beauty”, exhibition, featuring 170 other works by Canova from museums worldwide.


TORART is currently tackling a cultural dispute that has lasted for over a century regarding the ownership of sculptures and bas-reliefs from the Parthenon and other classical Greek temples on the Acropolis in Athens, which were taken to England in the early 1800s. Greece asserts its claim to ownership, while England maintains that the pieces were legitimately acquired. As a resolution is sought, replicas are being created to expand access to this artistic heritage dating back to 447 BC.
 

TORART’s approach merges art and practicality by creating functional objects that are also sculptural works of art. Our team has worked with notable designers and architects such as ZAHA HADID, VIKTOR UDZENIJA, BISAZZA FOUNDATION, ZACHARY EASTWOOD-BLOOM, AMANDA LEVETE, VENINI, ARIK LEV, EMMANUEL BABBLED, and many others.

Additionally, TORART offers an ‘Italian Line Style’ catalogue which presents a range of furniture pieces made from different materials. The company designs each object using innovative software and algorithms and uses traditional artisan techniques to produce surprising and unique solutions. These items, including chairs, tables, and bookshelves, are designed by Filippo Tincolini and sorted into different collections and lines.…
 

The ROBOTOR project’s design philosophy is unique as it applies a gentle approach rather than aggressive action when working with materials. Diamond tips of gradually finer dimensions are used to mill materials, making it possible to use composite materials made from recycled processing waste. This sustainable solution marks the beginning of a new era in stone milling.