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.