ART OF THE BRICK at Union Station Kansas City

THE ART OF THE BRICK, a captivating exhibition, featuring intriguing works of art made exclusively from one of the most recognizable toys in the world, the LEGO^® brick, opened January 25 at Union Station in the Bank of America Gallery. The critically acclaimed collection of whimsical and engaging pieces constructed using only LEGObricks and the imagination of world-renowned contemporary artist Nathan Sawaya.

Designed to inspire ingenuity and creativity, THE ART OF THE BRICK is the world's largest and most elaborate display of LEGO art. The massive collection features original pieces as well as re-imagined versions of some of the world's most famous art masterpieces made exclusively from LEGO bricks 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 collaboration with award-winning photographer Dean West. 

“The Art of the Brick is one of those rare experiences that’s nearly impossible to describe,” George Guastello, Union Station president and CEO, said. “It’s unexpected and inspiring. Massive and intimate. Brilliantly simple and complex all at once. It’s unlike anything you’ve ever seen and it’s only at Union Station for a short time.  Blending art, science, engineering and pure imagination – and filling 10 complete galleries with over 115 masterful creations – The Art of the Brick will truly inspire and invite you and your family to immediately express your own creativity in our huge hands-on build area. Additionally, the genius behind this work, Nathan Sawaya, has built a piece exclusively for and themed to Kansas City. The Art of the Brick is for everyone and every age. It’s pure creative expression in a most remarkable way.”

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 bricks cascading from the cavity. In addition, visitors will be able to walk around a 20-foot-long T-Rex dinosaur skeleton made out of over 80,000 bricks.

“One of the many things we do so well is engage the mind as well as the hands,” Jerry Baber, Union Station executive vice president and COO, said. “We know by bringing this powerful combination together, we create lasting and meaningful learning moments and provide hard-to-beat entertainment options for all of Kansas City and beyond. The Art of the Brick is a perfect example of how we maintain our reputation for world-class content that’s interactive, inspiring and impactful. This will absolutely delight guests of every age and interest.”

THE ART OF THE BRICK is the first major museum exhibition to use LEGO bricks as the sole art medium. Sawaya transforms LEGO bricks into tremendous and thought-provoking sculptures. Sawaya’s ability to transform this common toy into something meaningful, his devotion to spatial perfection and the way he conceptualizes action, enables him to elevate what almost every child has played with into the status of contemporary art.

“These works are very personal to me, since they reflect my growth as an artist as I strove to discover my creative identity,” Sawaya, said. “The exhibition is accessible because it engages the child in all of us while simultaneously illuminating sophisticated and complex concepts. Everyone can relate to the medium since it is a toy that many children have at home. But my goal with this exhibition is to elevate this simple plaything to a place it has never been before.”

THE ART OF THE BRICK at Union Station will be on display from January 25^th through May 28^th, 2018.