Dream It, Think It, Build It: The Art of the Brick
WHAT: The Art of the Brick, Nathan Sawaya
WHERE: Canada Science and Technology Museum (Ottawa)
WHEN: May 16, 2018 - September 3, 2018
Ticket prices can be found here.
Some few weeks ago, I took a trip to Montebello, QC and stopped by Ottawa on the way back. And to my luck, there happened to be this LEGO art exhibit happening - of course, I needed to go, because LEGO is amazing (side note: I'm waiting for my LEGO Hogwarts Castle to arrive in the next couple of days!) and because it was named one of CNN's Top Ten 'Global Must-See Exhibitions', so it had to be good. It definitely did not disappoint, though I personally would have preferred a bit more variety of colour in his art (though, in his defense, LEGO bricks only come in so many colours). BUT that is precisely why I enjoyed the first part of the exhibit so much: his LEGO renditions of famous artwork; as well as his Crayola crayons sculpture - they were more colourfully diverse than the other creations in the latter part of the exhibit.
"THE ART OF THE BRICK exhibit by artist Nathan Sawaya is a critically acclaimed collection of inspiring artworks is made exclusively from one of the most recognizable toys in the world: the LEGO® brick. From child's toy to sophisticated art form and beyond, the world's largest display of LEGO art ever features original pieces as well as re-imagined versions of the world's most famous art masterpieces like Van Gogh's Starry Night and Da Vinci's Mona Lisa as well as a gallery showcasing an innovative, multimedia collection of LEGO brick infused photography produced in tandem with award-winning photographer Dean West." - Canada Science and Technology Museum
Now, I invite you to browse through the image galleries, and read/contemplate on the descriptions of Sawaya's works.
[ WATCH: Adventure #4: Montebello + Ottawa // I GOT LOCKED UP IN A MOVING CAGE! ]
“I first learned adjectives through Schoolhouse Rock! I learned how to count to ten through Sesame Street. I learned about gravity through my Slinky. Imagine if a child learns about art history through LEGO!”
“This exhibition engages the child in all of us while the same time highlighting sophisticated and complex concepts. I use LEGO in my art because the toy is accessible. Chances are you probably don’t have a slab of marble or ceramic kiln at home. But I bet you have some LEGO bricks.”
“My favourite subject is the human form. A lot of my work suggests a figure in transition. It represents the metamorphosis I am experiencing in my own life. My pieces grow out of my fears and accomplishments, as a lawyer and as an artist, as a boy and as a man.”
“Create what you see. Create what you feel. Create what you have never seen. Just create.”
“Art nurtures the brain. Whether made from clay, paint, wood, or a modern-day toy.”
“Art makes better humans. Art is necessary in understanding the world and art makes people happy. Undeniably, art is not optional.”
