Internationally acclaimed sculptor, Marcel Braitstein, Royal Canadian Academy of Arts (RCA), was presented with the prestigious Medal of the National Assembly of Québec on Friday, July 10 2020 by Marie-Claude Nichols, Member of the National Assembly for Vaudreuil.

Due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, the presentation took place during a private ceremony held at Gannaiden: The Garden of Possibilities in Vaudreuil-Dorion west. Gannaiden, the sculpture garden, also contains the studio and home of Braitstein and his wife Elaine Steinberg. They have been long-time residents of the area.

MNA Marie-Claude Nichols (left) and sculptor Marcel Braitstein with the medal.

“This is a great honor,” said Braitstein as he received the medal in his appropriately socially distanced seat in a shady corner of the garden. During a conversation following the presentation, Nichols invited Braitstein to receive the medal more formally in Québec City. The sculptor graciously declined.

“Gannaiden is the Hebrew word for the Garden of Eden. Some people say that the Garden of Eden was the beginning of family pleasure gardens. Beginnings are full of endless possibilities. I love beginnings,” states Elaine Steinberg on the Gannaiden web site, www.gannaiden. org. Steinberg, who was the master of ceremonies for the event, described it as a L’Chaim to Marcel Braitstein and the sculpture garden.

The ceremony was attended by invited guests including Mayor of Vaudreuil-Dorion Guy Pilon, Hudson Town Councillor Helen Kurgansky, General Director of the Vaudreuil-Soulanges Regional Museum Daniel Bissonnette, Gannaiden Board Members Monette Malewski and Diane McDougall Deakin and members of the local media. Peter Jacobs, Emeritus professor of the School of Planning and Landscape Architecture at the Université de Montréal was unable to attend but sent a touching tribute to Braitstein as an artist and personality. Jacobs made a point of placing Gannaiden in the context of other sculpture gardens from Versailles, France to Lachine, Québec. He described Braitstein’s work as having mastered technical diﬃculties while maintaining a coherence of artistic production and integrity. “Kol hakvod, Marcel, the recognition of your work by the Québec government is, without doubt, well merited,” wrote Jacobs.

“This honor is given to him to underline both his great determination, his passion for his art, his desire to constantly improve. He is a model of perseverance and tenacity. With this medal, we also wish to underline in a particular way, the extraordinary journey of this great artist who lives with us,” said Deputy for Vaudreuil Marie-Claude Nichols.

The Quebec National Assembly Medal is awarded by members of the Legislative Assembly in recognition of individuals who have distinguished themselves and who have made a diﬀerence in the lives of others. Historically, Braitstein is the first person of Jewish faith in the MRC Vaudreuil-Soulanges to receive the medal and one of less than ten people in Québec. He brought pride to his region, community and the Jewish people.

Lifetime achievement of local sculptor recognized by Quebec Government