Program (TRANSLATED FROM CZECH)

LEA VIVOT LEA VIVOT

Muzeum v Šumperku (Galerie Šumperska) Museum in Šumperk (Gallery Šumperska)

 Lea Vivot

      Canadian of Czech origin, Ms Lea Vivot, one of the most important sculptors present today, famous throughout the world with bronze sculptors depicting the most precious value of human life. Her niche is primarily benches with statues with living people. Famous benches with various inscriptions, as well as messages expressing feelings of people become part of its work. Many of her benches have a theme of love, family and nature such as "Lovers Bench", "Mother and child", or "Secret Bench", are known throughout the world. Her works decorate such places as St. Georges Cathedral in Cape Town, but also the longest street in the world, Yonge Street in Toronto, New York Holocaust Museum, and "Grapes of Passion" in Sarasota Sculpture garden in Florida .
      Lea Vivot was born as Drahomíra Hekelová in Šumperk on the 25th February 1958. In Prague, she graduated from Central School of Arts. In 1968 she emigrated to Italy where she attended sculpture courses of Master Marino Marini. From there she went to Canada where the Canadian government had given her a scholarship to study at the Ontario College of Art. In addition, the studied in the prestigeous Art Student League of New York. She has three sons, whom she with love, pride and humor refers as her best masterpieces. Unfortunately, the middle son, Morris, died as a small eighteen-month old boy. As an expression of thanks for the medical help and hospitality small Morris received in Children's Hospital in Toronto, Lea Vivot created the "Endless Bench". It is installed outside in front of the hospital and it is a landmark in Toronto.

    Lea Vivot works and lives alternately in Canada, USA and Mexico. Increasingly she returns to the Czech Republic, where in 2003 received a prize for the Most Distinguished Czech Woman in the World living abroad and in 2007 won the award for her contribution to culture.
      Her sculptures are literally scattered all over the world. Examples are her "Secret Bench" which is in front of the Parliament of Canada in Ottawa. Today, her works can be seen in the Czech Republic in many places. For example, "Bench of Vice" is in front of the Lottery Corporation Saska Sportka and "Life as a Game" is in front of the O2 Sports Arena in Prague. Her work "Joy of Rain" can be admired in Šumperk on Main Street in front of the theater. By the entrance of the Šumperk city hall is installed "Bench of Messages"  and the sculpture "Mother and Child". The bronze bench became pieta place for victims of the terrorist attacks in New York and Washington.
      Lea Vivot has met, through a series of contacts, many important political and artistic personalities of the contemporary world. Some of her works can be found in private collections of Hillary Clinton, ex president Ronald Regan, former Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Elliot Trudeau and Italian tenor Luciano Pavarotti. 
      Lea Vivot has an exceptional artistic personality, a woman whose strength and charisma derives from its optimism, of humility and love for life. Her life is a beautiful philosophical song, which builds strength throughout other peoples lives ... "Everything you make happy, will enrich you."
Miluse Berková