Master Granite Sculptor
VIKTOR
V Special Interest
This special edition of Vigore magazine highlights the exceptional talents of Viktor, Chicago based sculptor. Viktor, who works primarily with Monumental Art Works, creates some of the most beautiful memorial work in the Midwest.
Viktor, along with his daughter Olga, started Monumental Art Works in 2010 as a portal to create unique and customized works of granite for Chicagoland and Indiana cemeteries. Viktor has been commissioned by private entities and by churches and cemeteries to create some of the most jaw dropping granite sculpted pieces seen anywhere in the country. When asked why he chose to stay in the memorial business instead of selling his works to private art collectors, Viktor replied, “I have never seen such response from people as I do with this business. Not only do I get a chance to memorialize someone for generations to come, I have received so many heartfelt compliments for my work. I consider every piece that comes out of this shop an achievement. I am blessed beyond words and every time we get an order I know that someone trusts us, and appreciates our quality, our craftsmanship, and our unbeatable pricing. The smiles, the hugs, and words of kindness are encouragement to everyone at Monumental Art Works to keep doing what we are doing because it results in satisfied customers again and again. And boy is he right! Online reviews praising the company, prove that people cannot get enough of Viktor and his crew. As Olga flips through the binder of various works that have been done over the years, she is proud of the company’s accomplishments. “Our work, especially Viktor’s carved granite sculptures, is in nearly every Catholic Archdiocese cemetery in the Chicagoland area.” Olga goes on to say, “Viktor is too modest to admit how profoundly talented he is, but I am ok with saying it. It’s impressive and humbling to see people seek him out from all parts of the country.” As we stroll through the shop, we see Martin Gramont, master craftsman, meticulously working on carved flowers, multi-tone designs and sandblast work. “We made this shop from scratch,” Martin tells us. “Literally, it was a hollow shell and we built each sandblast room and created Monumental Art Works from the ground up. Martin then smiles and says, “Every day is a surprise for me. Even with over twenty-five years of experience, I am still getting unique orders that people know only we can do. Now that is something I am proud of.” Joe Parsino, a young man learning the trade, assists Martin with his work and is now learning how to sandblast himself. “It’s a big responsibility. People have their hopes and their final wishes and prayers on these stones. This is the finale for the families. They can finally be at peace when the stone is placed in the ground. To have people tell us how happy they are with what we do makes coming to work all the more worthwhile.” The tour through Monumental Art Works was informative and impressive. Each piece is made with skill, dedication and a determination to create the perfect piece for each customer. What mastery, what art, what passion!