Heads-up everybody.
I think anyone under 50 has some sort of childhood memory of LEGO bricks (even if it’s just stepping on a stray piece in your bare feet – we’ve all done that!). When Aaron was a kid, PapaBarr would wake up early on the weekends and make a LEGO creation and it for leave him and his sister. Andy and I used to fight over the LEGO bricks, but it was one of the few toys we could both play with at the same time. I went to college with a tub of LEGO (and yes, I know that sounds weird, but it really is LEGO, not LEGOs). So imagine just how excited we got when we accidentally ran into “Art of the Brick” – a LEGO brick sculpture exhibition here in Johannesburg! OMG! Lego + Art! AWESOME!! Then even more good news: it was two for one day. “Half price? Why, yes, I’d like two tickets please!”
It’s an international exhibit – definitely go see it if it comes to your city!!!
I think I’m having a break-through!
Nathan Sawaya is a corporate lawyer turned LEGO sculptor. He has a strong message about following your own path and doing your own something-big, which we appreciate! His work is just spectacular. You have probably seen him as he’s been on all the morning shows, CNN, Colbert, the Tonight Show and tons of other media. One thing about corporate lawyer-cum-artists: they’re connected!
Geometry is his forte!
What a blockhead!
Face it – this guy’s got talent!
Aaron likes to show things from an angle just sliiiightly different from everyone else! (PS – I wanted to title it: Aaron Loves A Big Schnoz, but he vetoed it for some reason!)
Why, yes, I DO have a pencil you can borrow!
Disintegration…in red!
Get me out of here!
One of the things I loved was how Sawaya described classic pieces of art in language that children (and the rest of us) can truly relate to and understand. This exhibit proved to be not only a great art exhibit on its own, but a fine entry into art period.
I think you probably already know these…
Darned impressive shading when you only have the specific LEGO colors to work with!
Wave!
Wave close-up.
LEGO are made to be touched!
2-for-1 was a screaming good deal!
Andy, Andy, Andy, my how you would have loved these…
Mo Monet, mo Monet.
When he turned to 3-d pieces, suddenly he also had to deal with some engineering challenges. Very interesting learning that he came to realize some of the same structural issues as the original artists did in stone! The discus thrower needed that stump behind his leg to keep him upright, for example. Engineering is everywhere!
Engineering!!! Bring on the Parthenon!
Don’t I know this guy from somewhere? Think, Anner, Think!
We never knew the woman was his daughter! The things you learn…
Aaron loves a good game of disc!
I always look to put Aaron on a pedestal… or a chopping block!
“Let your big ideas flow. When you let your creativity loose, be it in writing, art, music or whatever, your ideas take on a life of their own. So take those big ideas and set them free.” –Nathan Sawaya
We couldn’t agree more!
Reaching in to free the art.
Bye-bye, Bricks. You were amazing!!!
Oh man that looked like a really fun exhibit. Hope they come close to me too! I’d love to take the kids.
They would absolutely love it! Remember, Anner wants them to become engineers!
Lego art is amazing. I saw a show in Minneapolis lately and was amazed at what can be done with the little bricks. Thanks for sharing.
It truly is amazing, indeed! I read a book about a guy who became a semi-professional LEGO brick artist awhile back and it was quite the little world he entered.
Legos were just named the toy of the 20th century! Looks like this artist is going to take far into the 21st century. Amazing stuff, but who was that guy that kept getting into your photos?
Wow – never heard about that! However did it beat out Hungry Hungry Hippos? 🙂
Wow! Cool stuff! Great to see works of art as LEGO art!
Those totally surprised us! We’d seen sculptures of LEGO before, but never occured to us to make replicas of famous works. They really blew us away! Hope the show goes to Seattle!