www.BXTimes.com BRONX WEEKLY April 1, 2019 8
Neo-Futurist artist opens art studio in Claremont
BY ROBERT WIRSING
An artist fusing nature
with mechanics hopes to
fuel Bronxites’ creative
drives.
Renowned artist and
metal sculptor Josh Hadar
is relocating his art studio
from Brooklyn to the
Bronx.
On Tuesday, March 12,
Hadar purchased a 3,320
square foot Claremont
warehouse with basement
storage at 407 E. 174th
Street for $880,000.
Keller Williams
Tribeca agent Christina
Gomez, who represented
Hadar in the deal, said the
1-story industrial warehouse
constructed in 1955
features an elevator which
easy connects the ground
fl oor and the basement.
Prior to the purchase,
the warehouse was used
by Webster Plumbing Supply,
Inc. to store plumbing
supplies.
The property was sold
by Clair Rose Holdings and
the seller’s broker was Joe
Cosentino of Morris Park
Realty.
Hadar’s recent move
from Tribeca to the Upper
West Side inspired him to
consider properties in the
Boogie Down Bronx for his
new studio.
“The warehouse didn’t
look like much from the
outside, but when I stepped
inside I fell in love with it,”
he said.
A self-taught artist with
15 years under his belt, Hadar
is famous for his statement
making bikes and
elegantly sculpted steel
trees which have appeared
in GQ and Vogue.
Steel with hand-blown
glass and lights are the
main components of his
awe-inspiring works.
Hadar’s bike building
began one day when
he discovered a dumpster
full of discarded bicycles
near his former studio at
Broome Street.
The Neo-Futurist was
inspired to transform
commuter transportation
and make ecologically
conscious vehicles as aesthetically
pleasing as possible.
Such iconic bikes include
the Teardrop, a
nickel on rolled steel,
hand-spun aluminum
plate wheels, hand-blown,
steel-wrapped, glass fuel
tank - 80cc gas powered
with pedal assist; Solar ETrike,
a hand made solarpowered
trike using carbon
steel tubing coated
with midnight black powder
and Mother, a biomorphic
bike featuring gun
black fi nish on rolled
steel, hand-blown glass
fuel tank, 80cc gas powered
with pedal assist.
The Boston University
alumnus has been
commissioned by hotels
worldwide to construct
and install solar powered
tree sculptures.
Notable pieces include
his 16-foot ‘Constellations’
at the Star Hotel
Group in Milan and his
11 feet high by over 15 feet
wide ‘The Grove’ at the
Intercontinental Hotel in
Times Square.
His 6 foot by 5 wide
Photovoltaic Acacia
sculpture uses over 90
solar cells embedded in
hand-hammered leaves
throughout the piece to
charge the 12 volt batteries.
When charged, they
light clusters of LEDs
placed inside blown glass
fruit scattered throughout
the tree.
Hadar expressed interest
in collaborating with
local residents, artists,
colleges and trade schools
to provide them training
in various trade disciplines
including welding
and fabrication.
He intends to utilize
the studio as an art and
technology center with
an emphasis on sustainable
energy and using solar
and wind generators
for sculptures and electronics.
Hadar plans to hold
onto the property for a
while and share it with
his 9-year-old twin sons
Izzy and Zeke who like
their father also have a
passion for the arts.
To learn more about
Hadar’s work, visit www.
hadarmetaldesign.com.
Josh Hadar’s passion for metalwork, art and technology fuels his creative drive.
Photo courtesy of Josh Hadar
Hadar’s ‘Lionheart’ bike features a black, oil-rubbed bronze fi nish and glass fuel tank fabricated in blood red.
Photo courtesy of Josh Hadar
Located in East Hampton, Hadar’s rendering of a willow welded in stainless
steel piping prompts a sense of wonder at its beauty and creation.
Photo courtesy of Josh Hadar
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