E.B. Cox

E.B. Cox (1914–2003) was an internationally known sculptor from Toronto, Canada. He was part of a generation of sculptors such as Charles Daudelin who preferred to carve rather than model their work. Cox carved in wood, stone and even on metal, ceramics, glass and gemstones. Cox married Elizabeth Kathleen (née Campbell) in 1948, with whom he had two daughters, Alice Margaret (Sally Fogel) and Kathleen Mary (Kathy Cox-Sutton).

Artistic career Cox was a member of the Ontario Society of Artists (OSA), Sculptors' Society of Canada (SSC) and the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts (RCA). After serving as an interpreter during World War II and a brief teaching career at Upper Canada College, he took up sculpting full-time in the 1950s. Cox pioneered the use of the compressed-air chisel and other power tools in creating sculpture. The technique enabled him to single-handedly create large-scale installations.

Sculptures Cox is best known for his large works featured at many Toronto-area landmarks, including: Spring Break-Up (Fish Fountain), 1958, Park Hyatt Hotel, Avenue Road north of Bloor St., Toronto. (Moved in March 2018 to Ingram Gallery, 24 Hazelton Avenue, while the hotel is being renovated.) This sculpture is one of the first non-architectural decorative sculptures introduced into Toronto for the purpose of making the courtyard of a building more attractive. At an Exhibition Place Board of Governors meeting in June 2016, city councillor Mike Layton accused Muzik owner Zlatko Starkovski of holding the sculptures hostage to extract more lenient rules from the board as to the type of events Muzik is allowed to host. The board, however, allowed Starkovski's proposed changes without requiring the return of the sculptures. In October 2016, the issue was debated by Toronto City Council; Council voted 36–2 to include the return of the Garden of the Greek Gods sculptures to the city as a condition of amending Muzik's lease on Exhibition Place grounds. In July 2021, Council gave final approval to a new lease with Toronto Event Centre that will require the sculptures to be moved to the Rose Garden of Exhibition Place by August 2022. Cox' daughter Kathy Cox-Sutton expressed support for the decision, but also sounded a note of caution not to assume anything until the sculptures actually move. By the autumn of 2022, the final relocation of the sculptures to the Rose Garden had been completed. The new location was officially opened on November 1, 2022.

Digital Amphitheatre

The sculptures of the Garden of the Greek Gods will be featured in an interactive online platform where people can share multimedia stories either directly at the location near the Rose Garden or through the Digital Amphitheatre website. The platform is being created by CAMH and HeARTLab, organizations focused on exploring the links between art and mental health.