Lego is a really old kind of toy, which has been around for over 60 years. Yet the colourful little pieces of plastic are more popular than ever. Last spring a movie with Lego figures was immensely popular and very soon a huge Christmas tree made out of Lego will be built again in St Pancras Station. Also, one of the most popular exhibitions in London right now is taking place on Brick Lane and is based on Lego sculptures.
The man who is behind the exhibition is an American called Nathan Swaya. He says:
-My goal is to elevate this simple plaything to a place it has never been before. I also appreciate the cleanliness of the Lego brick. The right angles. The distinct lines. But, from a distance, those right angles and distinct lines offer new perspectives, changing to curves.’
Sawaya is not an artist from the beginning, but used to be a banker in New York. But now he has turned to the first artist to bring Lego into the world of art. His unusual sculptures are touring around the world under the name of THE ART OF THE BRICK. He has worked with thousands of Lego stones since 2002 to create huge sculptures of everything from people to dinosaurs.
By Noam