July 6, 2009
Province Offers Condolences on the Passing of Leo Mol
Culture, Heritage, Tourism and Sport Minister Eric Robinson offered condolences on the passing of Leo Mol on behalf of the Province of Manitoba today.
“Leo Mol was one of Manitoba’s brightest stars. Through his work, he gave the Manitoba art world a gift that will enrich our province for generations,” said Robinson. “He was a world-class artist living in our midst and our capital city proudly preserves his talent and passion through collections of his work such as the Leo Mol Sculpture Garden.”
Mol studied sculpture at the Leningrad Academy of Arts from 1936 to 1940. In 1943, he studied in The Hague and, in December 1948, he and his wife, Margareth, emigrated to Winnipeg.
In 1989, he was made an officer of the Order of Canada in recognition of his artistic contributions to his adopted country. In 2000, he was awarded the Order of Manitoba. He was also a member of the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts. In 2002, his sculpture Lumberjacks was featured on a Canadian postage stamp.
He had received honourary degrees from the universities of Winnipeg, Alberta and Manitoba.
The subjects of his sculptures included such prominent historical personalities as Winston Churchill, Pope John Paul II, Dwight D. Eisenhower and John Diefenbaker. Mol created three monuments to Ukraine’s most famous poet, Taras Shevchenko, which are located in Washington, D.C., Buenos Aires, Argentina, and Prudentopolis, Brazil.