Sylvia attended primary and secondary school in her native city in Montreal. She pursued art studies at l’Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, Columbia University in New York, and the Academie Julien in Paris. Further studies continued in Mexico, Spain and Italy.
1955: Obtained a Canada Council Fellowship to work and study in Mexico.
1956: The “Louis Riel” murals were exhibited, upon invitation by the Municipal Government, at the formal opening of St. Helen’s Island. The “Louis Riel” panels were acquired by the Department of Northern Affairs in 1958. They are now on permanent exhibition at the National Historic Park, Fort Battleford, Saskatchewan.
1956: “The Acadians” depicting the arrival, colonization, expulsion and return was another series of panels executed in mural format. In 1986 the city of Lameque, Nova Scotia held a Festival of Baroque Musique and Acadian Games. The mayor invited Lefkovitz to exhibit “The Acadians” at this event. Lavalin Inc., organized and subsidized this exhibition. In 1987 “The Acadians” were acquired by the University Sainte Anne in Pointe de l’Eglise, Nova Scotia.
1957: Exhibition at Montreal Museum of Fine Arts; paintings and murals.
1960: Took up residence in Florence, Italy.
1962: Exhibition Palagio di Parte Guelfa in Florence. Received “Porcellino Award best resident foreign artist”.
1962: Exhibition Galleria Montenapoleone, Milan; sculptures and paintings.
1962: Exhibition Waddington Gallery, Montreal; paintings
1964: Government of Canada-Department of Trade & Commerce- commissioned Lefkovitz to sculpt in bronze (the lost wax method) Dante’s “Divine Comedy”.
1965: Exhibition Palazzo Venezia, Rome; paintings.
1965: Exhibition Palazzo Comunale, Florence.
1965: Exhibition Palazzo Comunale, Aosta.
1965-1973: Exhibited in Torino, Milano, Genova and Bari; bronze sculpture, oils, drawings and lithographs. Some of these works were represented in the l’Instituto della Enciclopedia Italiana, Treccani.
1967: Government of Canada-Centennial Celebration- commissioned to create in bronze the Confederation of Canada.
1967: Commission “The Chorus” consisting of five life size figures in bronze to be a part of the Westmount Square complex of Mies Van de Rohe.
1968: Exhibition Teatro dell’Opera, Genoa; bronze sculpture.
1969: Exhibition London, England, Canada House.
1971: Exhibition Osaka, Japan
Exhibition Ottawa, National Gallery of Canada.
1972-1973: Prizes, Galleria d’Arte de Palazzo Doria, Genoa.
Premio Nazionalle della Grafica, S. Michele d’Oro.
1975: Exhibition Centro Culturale, Fiat Torino, Italia. Major retrospective.
1975: Commission lithographs printed by Poligtrafici e Zecca dello Stato d’Italia.
Commission to produce dry-point medium interpretation “Song of Songs” limited edition book format.
1985: Exhibition l’Art Français, Montreal
The National Film Board of Canada profiled her life and work in both Canada and Italy in the documentary “In search of Medea”.
The work of Sylvia Lefkovitz has been exhibited world-wide. Lefkovitz paintings, murals and sculptures have been acquired by private collectors and public institutions.
