TORONTO

CURRENTLY IN TORONTO THERE ARE 200 STATUES AND 1% ARE WOMEN

Toronto often claims that their public art is vibrant and diverse. Their vast collection of over 200 public art pieces lack one thing however… public statues depicting inspirational women, which is currently shown to be 1% of the 200. Amongst the monuments and abstract art, we really want to see Toronto live up to their word of diversity in art and dig deep in the books of women accomplishments, and start erecting inspirational women! 

 

This sculpture represents the bond between mothers and their children. It is truly a gift of life by giving life and the artist only wishes that new mothers feel comfortable nurturing their babies in public. The artist, Lea Vivot gifted this beautiful sculpture to Toronto Hospital for Sick Children in memory of her son. The bench is also engraved with 476 messages of love, hope and inspiration. You can visit this sculpture by Lea Vivot in front of the Toronto Hospital for Sick Children.

Birthed from the original ‘The Statue of Peace’, Comfort Women is one of the most controversial projects / statues in history. The statue represents over 200,000 girls, teenage girls and women who were forced into Japan’s military-run brothels during World War II. Not only was this statue presented to recognise the past, but to bring light to human trafficking. With many protestors around the world, some even evolving into ending sister city relationships, the momentum for placing Comfort Women statues around the globe is still going with no signs of stopping. You can find her statue by artist Steven Whyte outside the Korean Centre's entrance.