The Art of the Brick LEGO Exhibition on The Headrow Leeds

Yorkshire Evening Post

Following international success in over 100 cities and 24 countries, an immersive 1,500m² experience invites visitors of all ages to explore vibrant LEGO art in Leeds.

Transcript

00:00When was the last time you played with LEGO, and did you ever think you could build a career

00:05out of it?

00:06Well that's exactly what former New York lawyer turned artist Nathan Sawaya has done.

00:11His Art of the Brick exhibition can be found in the former HomeSense store on the Head

00:16Row in Leeds City Centre, and it's been seen by over 10 million people around the world.

00:21Since its premiere in 2007 it's become something of an international phenomenon, and it details

00:27Nathan's artistic journey, creative process and the inspiration behind transforming a

00:31childhood toy into fine art.

00:34My name is Evie Blackstock, this is the Art of the Brick exhibition in Leeds, the Head Row.

00:40I am an Operations and Project Manager for Exhibition Hub, who have partnered with Fever to bring

00:46this exhibition to Leeds.

00:47The Art of the Brick is a creative journey, we are transforming iconic works of art into

00:53LEGO sculptures, so we really take amazing pieces of art that goes from The Scream or

00:59from Michelangelo, and then we also have an aquarium area as well, so we're looking at

01:04all concepts of life really, and how that can be transformed into art.

01:08We've done multiple exhibitions with Nathan's work, and we've worked really closely with him

01:14to deliver everything that he wants, and that we want to display his sculptures in the best

01:19way possible. And yeah, we have a really close relationship with him, and we always want to

01:23make sure that he's involved in the creative process and the building of the exhibition as

01:27well, because it's not just about building the sculptures, it's about making them look amazing as

01:31well.

01:32The exhibition includes reimaginings of iconic masterpieces such as Van Gogh's Starry Night,

01:37Klimts the Kiss and Munches the Scream, alongside an array of animals blending the worlds of art and play.

01:44I was speechless, especially when you walk into the sea life room, I was speechless,

01:50it's just with the lighting and the way that the animals are suspended in the air, it just took my

01:55breath away. My favourite, I would say, is actually The Scream, and I also really like the Van Gogh

02:00Starry Night imagining as well, just because I've got a soft spot in my heart for Van Gogh.

02:05Nathan Sawyer completely transformed his career to dedicate himself to art and 3D sculpture,

02:11elevating the colourful bricks to a recognised art form. He gained international fame in 2007

02:17with his piece Yellow, and has received numerous accolades since.

02:22Nathan's goal is to inspire people to be as creative as they can be, and he has a deep

02:26appreciation for the clarity of the LEGO brick, including its sharp edges and clean lines.

02:32From a distance, these edges and lines offer new perspectives, transforming into curves.

02:37Evie has been reflecting on the enduring appeal of the vibrant bricks.

02:42LEGO is so popular, kids love LEGO, adults love LEGO, it's that nostalgic feeling,

02:48so when we welcome customers in, it's just absolutely fabulous, they're just

02:51transported back to their childhood and that's exactly what we want to do,

02:54whilst also showing the artistic side of the sculptures as well.

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