The world's largest, most elaborate display of LEGO art will debut in Downtown Tampa on Friday, June 23.
The exhibition titled 'The Art of the Brick' will feature 100 incredible artworks made out of LEGO bricks by award winning artist Nathan Sawaya.
The collection features original sculptures, as well as re-imagined versions of iconic art masterpieces, made entirely from LEGO bricks. Examples include Vincent Van Gogh's Starry Night and Leonardo Da Vinci's Mona Lisa. Additionally, the exhibition features a gallery showcasing an innovative, multimedia collection of LEGO brick-infused photography produced in tandem with photographer Dean West.
Visitors will have the opportunity to get up-close and in-person with the fan favorite, Yellow, a life-size sculpture of a man ripping his chest open with thousands of yellow LEGO bricks cascading from the cavity. In addition, visitors will experience a 20-foot-long T-Rex dinosaur skeleton made out of bricks and come face-to-face with a giant skull.
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The public will also be invited to construct their own creations in The Brickyard, a hands-on and interactive build space within the exhibition.
“The Art of the Brick takes LEGO bricks somewhere you wouldn’t expect and shows you things you have never seen before,” said artist Sawaya. “A goal with this collection of art is to demonstrate the potential of imagination and the power of creativity.”
The Art of the Brick is the first major exhibition to use LEGO bricks as the sole art medium. Sawaya transforms LEGO bricks into tremendous and thought-provoking sculptures, elevating a toy to the realm of art. Sawaya’s devotion to spatial perfection and his conceptualization of action, enables him to transform a child’s toy into art.
The charitable organization Vinik Family Foundation is the driving force behind this exciting exhibition.
Sawaya even created a piece of LEGO art just for Tampa! It's called, "Zeus" and it will stay in Tampa after the exhibit leaves in September. As you can see below, the man holding a lightning bolt celebrates the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Vinik Family.
The Art of the Brick has visited over 80 cities worldwide; this is the first time it has visited Tampa Bay.
“Nathan’s inspiring story and unique perspective of art is what makes this exhibit a “can't miss for all ages this summer,” said Jeff and Penny Vinik. “Our hope is that everyone in our community will be able to experience this incredible exhibition up-close. Art is both impactful and inspirational, and we hope to continue share world-class cultural events like The Art of the Brick with Tampa Bay.”
The Art of the Brick will be on display at 802 East Whiting Street from Friday, June 23 through Monday, September 4. The exhibit will be open Wednesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
For more information, including how to plan your visit, special group instructions and more, click here.
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