Jean-Francois Furieri

As a technician (and one of the few plaster experts left in North America), I have been in the business for almost 50 years. With a long line of apprentices under my mentorship, my life's work speaks for itself and my resume is vast. Iconoplast, a company I founded in 1986, specializes in seamless architectural plaster conservation rooted in European sensibilities. Combining century-old techniques with new technology our hands-on, meticulous approach holds the wisdom of our ancestral craftsmen in high regard in keeping this traditional art alive. Our work stands as infallible evidence of our dedication to honoring the character and integrity of the original design and spans landmarks, heritage buildings and culturally-influential structures of all kinds across the continent.

Plaster work is one of the oldest building professions still in existence today. Archaeologists have found decorative plaster work on Egyptian pyramids more than 4,000 years old. In this sense the craft is the dinosaur of building restoration trades, a part of our collective memory; plaster is part of the original vocabulary of buildings and their genesis. It is also the most durable; where it still exists today, it thrives as a living testament to its timelessness.

Our treatment programs stem from intricate and incisive diagnoses of difficult plaster problems; where some attempts result in mere patch work our approach is impeccable, upholding an unrivaled quality that boasts an old-world, custom look. Our exemplary record includes Toronto’s Pantages Theatre (home of Phantom of the Opera, now known as the Canon), One King West and the Royal Ontario Museum; in New York, among others, the Lyric/Apollo Theatre, the Selwyn Theatre and the Manhattan Opera House.

Please see the Iconoplast web site or my LinkedIn profile for more information.