Stand here a moment and observe the legacy of a bold artistic experiment. It is the Symposium international de sculpture. This event marked a turning point in North American art history.
The year was 1964. Montreal hosted the first International Sculpture Symposium in North America. Twelve sculptors from around the world converged on Mount Royal Park. They were given a challenge. Create monumental works of art in a short time. The time frame was just two months. The artists used stone and metal as their primary media.
This symposium introduced modernist sculpture to Canada. It was a significant cultural moment. Imagine the energy. Artists collaborating. The public engaging with art in real time. Over 40000 visitors came to watch.
Sculptor Robert Roussil spearheaded this initiative. He worked with Denys Chevalier, Otto Bengle, Pothier Ferland, and Jacques Melancon. Together they brought the Symposium international de sculpture to life. The event received crucial support from various entities. These included the Ministre des Affaires culturelles du Quebec. The City of Montreal and Hydro-Quebec also helped. Today, the City of Montreal owns these significant pieces.
One notable artist was Krishna Reddy from India. Reddy’s sculpture features two folded faces joined together. They rise from a limestone base. Its smooth texture and curved lines create a human-like form. Dr. Otto Bengle noted the spirituality of Reddy and his wife. Both were participants in the Symposium international de sculpture. Reddy’s piece reminds us of the context in which it was created.
Another artist, Pierre Szekely from Hungary, sculpted L’Ange de Pierre. He used marble from the Ottawa Valley for the 4.26-meter-high piece. Kosso Eloul created Optimax. The limestone and concrete sculpture was almost named Parti pris or Separatisme.
Shirley Witebsky from the United States also participated. She worked with Portuguese marble. Joseph Pillhofer from Austria chose limestone. Geracimo Sklavos from Greece sculpted Les Soeurs Cardinales from marble. Augustin Cardenas from Cuba also used limestone.
Irving Burman from Canada created his first stone sculpture. He originally planned a wood piece. But he switched to limestone. Armand Vaillancourt created La Force. He used styrofoam and cast metal at a foundry in Montmagny. Sergio Signori from Italy worked with Canadian marble. Louis Chavignier from France created Le Carrousel Sauvage using dark grey limestone.
Eleven of the original sculptures remain. These works stand as testaments to the Symposium international de sculpture. They remind us of Montreal’s vibrant artistic history. The Symposium international de sculpture helped usher Quebec into artistic and cultural modernity. It remains a landmark event.