Lenin Sculpture Exhibit
Posted by: 
Jeremy
N 47° 39.080 W 122° 21.058
10T E 548740 N 5277752
Quick Description: This 7 ton statue of Lenin originated in Poprad, Slovakia. It is now a permanent fixture in Fremont, Seattle.
Location: Washington, United States
Date Posted: 1/27/2007 4:16:00 PM
Waymark Code: WM162B
Views: 118
Long Description:From the nearby plaque sponsored by the Fremont Chamber of Commerce
and the Fremont Arts Council:
The Story of the Statue of Lenin
How this rare statue of Lenin came to Fremont
This cast bronze sculpture of Vladimir Lenin was created by Emil
Venkov, who appears on the left, a Slavic artist who has worked in
bronze for over thirty years and who is widely exhibited in Europe
and the United States.
One of a kind
Weighing over 7 tons, the sculpture took ten years to complete and
was installed in Poprad, Slovakia in 1988. It is unique. We believe
it is the only representation portraying Lenin surrounded by guns
and flames instead of holding a book or waving his hat. The
sculptor, while fulfilling the requirements of his state
commission, was nevertheless able to express his vision of Lenin as
a violent revolutionary; not just an intellectual and
theoretician.
Lewis Carpenter
An American veteran teaching in Poprad, Lewis Carpenter found the
sculpture lying face down after it was toppled in the 1989
Revolution. He recognized Venkov’s skill and craftsmanship and the
boldness of his portrayal, and was determined that the statue be
preserved. Carpenter mortgaged his house to acquire the sculpture
and brought it back to Issaquah. He died in 1994. The statue is now
owned by his family. It is sited here temporarily for viewing and
sale, both to fulfill Carpenter’s dream, that the work be seen and
enjoyed and eventually find a permanent home and to serve as a
reminder of an important historical period.
Proceeds will help fund new projects.
The commission from the sale will go to the Fremont Chamber of
Commerce for the support of community arts activities in Fremont.
These activities include: establishing an outdoor sculpture park
and open-air gallery, supporting Art About, Fremont's
First-Saturday art walk, and starting an international
artist-in-residence program.
Lenin in Fremont: Right or Wrong?
The presence of this sculpture has evoked a wide range of
responses. If art is supposed to make us feel, not just feel good,
then this sculpture is a successful work of art. The challenge is
to understand that this piece means different things to different
people and to learn to listen to each other and respect different
opinions. From an artists standpoint, all points of view are valid
and important.
Art Outlives Politics.
This sculpture is placed here in the Artist’s Republic of Fremont,
as a symbol of an artistic spirit that outlasts regimes and
ideologies, and as tangible proof that art does outlive
politics.