E.B. Cox

Cox’s work became the subject of a dispute in 2014 when the 20 limestone sculptures comprising the Garden of the Greek Gods, created by Cox in the 1960s, were hidden from view at the Muzik nightclub (now called Toronto Event Centre). This sculpture garden was donated to the City of Toronto in 1979 and installed on the south lawn of the Horticulture Building, where it was enjoyed by the art-loving public for over 30 years. When the nightclub built a huge outdoor patio in 2014, it fenced in the entire collection and made it inaccessible to the public. Family and friends expressed concern both about possible damage to the work and the fact that it is no longer freely accessible to children. Cox had originally intended that children be able to play on the sculptures. 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. For additional coverage, click here.

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. Cox has more sculpture on view in Toronto’s public places than any other single artist.

Elford Bradley Cox was born in Botha, Alberta, the second son of John and Eva (Tabb). His mother died when he was 13 years old. Cox attended Victoria College, University of Toronto between 1934 and 1938, where he met Professor Barker Fairley, through whom he became acquainted with many artists, including members of the Group of Seven. Cox married Elizabeth Kathleen (née Campbell) in 1948, with whom he had two daughters, Alice Margaret (Sally Fogel) and Kathleen Mary (Kathy Cox-Sutton).

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.