Biography

Born in Iași, Romania.

Begins to study art.

Emigrates to Israel.

Studies drawing, painting, sculpture, graphics and theatre set design at Tel Aviv Art Institute.

First group exhibition, Israel Painters’ & Sculptures’ Association, Tel Aviv.

First solo exhibition, Z.O.A. House, Tel Aviv.

Awarded scholarship to study at the Brooklyn Museum Art School.

Meets well-known Toronto collector Sam Zacks who buys painted construction White Scaffolding.

Zacks offers Etrog a studio in Southampton, Ontario for the summer.

First Canadian solo exhibition at Gallery Moos, Toronto.

James Johnson Sweeney, Director of the Guggenheim Museum in New York, selects sculpture for the museum’s collection.

Famed US collector Joseph Hirshhorn buys multiple works by the artist.

Alfred H. Barr, Founding Director of MoMA, NY, selects sculpture for the museum’s collection.

After commuting between Toronto and New York, closes New York studio and settles in Toronto.

Begins casting in Italy and opens a studio in Firenze.

Becomes a Canadian citizen.

Represents Canada at the Venice Biennale along with Alex Coleville and Yves Gaucher.

Commissioned by the Canadian government to create Moses and Flight for Expo ‘67, Montreal.

Designs and illustrates book The Bird that Does not Exist by Claude Aveline.

Monograph Sorel Etrog: Sculpture by William Withrow.

Designs the Canadian film award, the “Etrog” (renamed “Genie” in the 1980’s).

Meets Eugene Ionesco in Paris.

Monograph by Theodore Allen Heinrich, The Painted Constructions 1952 – 1960 of Sorel Etrog.

Monograph by Carlo L. Ragghianti Sorel Etrog: Sculptures, Engraving, Lithographs, Documents.

Opens One Decade, the traveling exhibition organized by the AGO with an accompanied catalogue, which travels to 11 venues throughout Ontario.

Designs and illustrates book Chocs by Eugene Ionesco.

Upon meeting Samuel Beckett, draws his portrait.

Designs the medallion commemorating the fiftieth anniversary of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra.

Writes and directs film, Spiral, broadcast on CBC.

Collaborates with Marshall McLuhan on the publication Spiral and other related projects.

Designs sets and costumes for stage play The Celtic Hero: Four Cuchulain Plays by W.B Yates, at Toronto’s Bayview Theatre.

Divorces Lika.

Represents Canada at Art Expo in Bari, Italy.

Studio in Paris.

Curates important exhibition of contemporary outdoor sculpture at the Guild Inn Scarborough, Ontario.

Publishes “Dream Chamber: Joyce and the Dada Circus” in Dream Chamber / About Roaratorio, edited by Robert O’Driscoll.

Designs and illustrates book Imagination Dead Imagination by Samuel Beckett.

Installation Musicage celebrating 70th birthday of composer John Cage, Toronto.

Illustrates, Choreographs and composes electronic music for public performance “The Bodifestation of the Kite,” a tribute to Samuel Beckett, dance by Gloria Luoma of the National Ballet of Canada, at the Grunwald Gallery, Toronto.

Commissioned to create Sunlife, a large outdoor sculpture for Sun Life Assurance of Canada.

Commissioned to create Powersoul for the summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea.

Sunbird II is installed in Reviers Normandy to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the liberation of Normandy by Canadian Forces.

Named Member of the Order of Canada.

Appointed Chevalier dans l’Ordre des Arts & des Lettres by France.

Designs Annual Award: Prix Alliance Française Toronto (Canada France Cultural Award) for French Consulate.

​

Monograph published Sorel Etrog by Pierre Restany.

Thirty year sculpture retrospective at Buschlen Mowatt Gallery, Palm Desert, CA.

Represents Canada in the inaugural Vancouver International Biennale, awarded Lifetime Achievement Award by the Biennale Board of Directors.

Retrospective at the Art Gallery of Ontario: Sorel Etrog: Five Decades.

Passes away in Toronto.

The Hennick Family Wellness Gallery at Mount Sinai opens with 86 works donated by the artist.