Lea Vivot
Encyclopedia
Lea Vivot is a Czech
-born Canadian
sculptor
. She has studied at the Ontario College of Art in Toronto
, Ontario
as well as Prague
, Czechoslovakia
, Milan, Italy and New York
, United States
. Although her main focus is sculpture, Vivot is also active in drawing and printmaking. Vivot’s over life-sized bronze sculptures are figurative and often depict families, couples, mothers, children, and other subjects of humanity. Most of her sculptures include benches, which have become her trademark.
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
-born Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
sculptor
Sculpture
Sculpture is three-dimensional artwork created by shaping or combining hard materials—typically stone such as marble—or metal, glass, or wood. Softer materials can also be used, such as clay, textiles, plastics, polymers and softer metals...
. She has studied at the Ontario College of Art in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
as well as Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
, Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
, Milan, Italy and New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Although her main focus is sculpture, Vivot is also active in drawing and printmaking. Vivot’s over life-sized bronze sculptures are figurative and often depict families, couples, mothers, children, and other subjects of humanity. Most of her sculptures include benches, which have become her trademark.
Works by Vivot
- Following the deathDeath and state funeral of Jack LaytonOn August 22, 2011, Canadian New Democratic Party leader and Leader of the Opposition Jack Layton died after a bout from an unspecified, newly diagnosed cancer. Prior to his recent diagnosis, Layton led his party to gain a historic rise in seats during the 2011 federal election...
of New Democratic PartyNew Democratic PartyThe New Democratic Party , commonly referred to as the NDP, is a federal social-democratic political party in Canada. The interim leader of the NDP is Nycole Turmel who was appointed to the position due to the illness of Jack Layton, who died on August 22, 2011. The provincial wings of the NDP in...
leader Jack LaytonJack LaytonJohn Gilbert "Jack" Layton, PC was a Canadian social democratic politician and the Leader of the Official Opposition. He was the leader of the New Democratic Party from 2003 to 2011, and previously sat on Toronto City Council, serving at times during that period as acting mayor and deputy mayor of...
, Vivot announced that she would create three different public statues of him, for Toronto, Ottawa, and his hometown of Hudson, QuebecHudson, QuebecHudson, Quebec, Canada, is a town with a population of 5,088 on the south-west bank of the lower Ottawa River, in the Vaudreuil-Soulanges Regional County Municipality. Situated about west of downtown Montreal, many residents commute to work on the Island of Montreal.- Location and...
. - http://www.leavivot.com/new_pieces.htmTommy Douglas (Weyburn, SaskatchewanWeyburn, SaskatchewanWeyburn is a city in southeastern Saskatchewan, Canada. It is located on the Souris River southeast of the provincial capital of Regina and is north of the border with the United States. The name is reputedly a corruption of the Scottish "wee burn," referring to a small creek. The city is...
)] - The Secret Bench of KnowledgeThe Secret Bench of KnowledgeThe Secret Bench of Knowledge is a sculpture created by Canadian artist Lea Vivot and produced in multiple castings. A prominent one is located at the entrance to the Wellington Street Library and Archives Canada in Ottawa. The sculpture was laid at about 9 AM on the morning of May 1, 1994 in...
(Library and Archives CanadaLibrary and Archives CanadaLibrary and Archives Canada is a national memory institution dedicated to providing the best possible account of Canadian life through acquiring, preserving and making Canada's documentary heritage accessible for use in the 21st century and beyond...
, OttawaOttawaOttawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
) - http://www.leavivot.com/endless_bench.htmEndless Bench (Located at front of Toronto's Hospital for Sick ChildrenHospital for Sick ChildrenThe Hospital for Sick Children – is a major paediatric centre for the Greater Toronto Area, serving patients up to age 18. Located on University Avenue in Downtown Toronto, SickKids is part of the city’s Discovery District, a critical mass of scientists and entrepreneurs who are focused on...
)] - http://picasaweb.google.com/100244606791412207006/JardinBotanique2010#5463534570959926994Le banc des amoureux (Montreal Botanical Garden, MontrealMontrealMontreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
)] - Le banc du secret (Le 2001 McGill College, Montreal)
- Joy Of Life (1983): Montreal 1434 Sherbrooke Ave. West
- Lavička neřesti The Bench of Vice, K Žižkovu 1851/4, Prague
External links
- Maclean's article about Lea Vivot's proposed Jack layton memorial statues
- Huffington Post Three Jack Layton Statues Planned By Canadian Sculptor
- CBC: Layton's likeness to be cast in bronze
- Kiefer Sutherland unveils Tommy Douglas statue
- CZECH TELEVISION DOCUMENTARY
- leavivot.com/about_the_artist
- Lea Vivot
- 360° panoramic photo of the Secret Bench in Montreal