The Secret Bench of Knowledge
Public sculpture in Ontario
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Secret Bench of Knowledge (formerly Secret Bench, Lost Paradise) 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, where it was initially placed in 1989 on the artist's own initiative.[1] One year later, Vivot removed it, and it was replaced four years later by Eugene Boccia from Toronto. The sculpture was unveiled at about 9 AM on the morning of May 1, 1994 in front of a crowd of about 3000 people. The sculpture has many messages inscribed on it, written by school children, about the importance and pleasure of reading.
| The Secret Bench of Knowledge | |
|---|---|
The Secret Bench of Knowledge | |
| Artist | Lea Vivot |
| Year | 1994 |
| Medium | Bronze |
| Location | Ottawa, Ontario, Canada |
Other locations for the sculpture include various cities in Ontario (including Sarnia), as well as Montreal (June 1989),[2] New York City, and outside the Four Seasons Hotel in Prague, Czechia.
The unveiling of the new statue was done by Vivot, assisted by a young blind boy named Gabriel McBride, from Spruce View, Alberta, who inscribed his message in Braille.
The bench can also be seen on McGill College Avenue in Montreal, Québec [3].
