Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites

The exhibit features 80 incredible works of art from contemporary artist Nathan Sawaya

INDIANAPOLIS (Aug. 1, 2018) – Starting Sept. 29, visitors to the Indiana State Museum will be able to see the blockbuster traveling exhibit THE ART OF THE BRICK – an exhibition featuring more than 80 works of art made entirely from LEGO® bricks.

Designed to inspire ingenuity and creativity, THE ART OF THE BRICK features original pieces from artist Nathan Sawaya, as well as LEGO brick interpretations of some of the world’s most famous art masterpieces, such as Van Gogh’s Starry Night and Da Vinci’s Mona Lisa. Visitors will have the opportunity to get up-close 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 marvel at the David statue made entirely of LEGO bricks, come face-to-face with a 20-foot long T-Rex skeleton and more.

The traveling exhibit will also feature a special activity area where visitors can see what they can build for themselves using LEGO bricks.

“This experience captures the wonder of seeing the unexpected,” said Cathy Ferree, president and CEO of the Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites. “Integrating a toy into artwork allows the exhibit to appeal to visitors across different ages and interests, and this turn of perspective will inspire visitors to look for other nontraditional outlets for creativity.”

In the exhibition, artist Sawaya transforms LEGO bricks into tremendous and thought-provoking sculptures, elevating one of the world’s most recognizable toys to the realm of art.

“THE ART OF THE BRICK takes LEGO somewhere you wouldn’t expect and shows you things you have never seen before,” said artist Sawaya. “The goal with this collection of art is to demonstrate the potential of imagination and the power of creativity.”

THE ART OF THE BRICK will be at the Indiana State Museum from Sept. 29, 2018, through Jan. 6, 2019, and the exhibit is included with purchase of general museum admission, which is free for members.

FOR MEDIA USE ONLY: 

To schedule a media tour of THE ART OF THE BRICK or schedule an interview with artist Nathan Sawaya, please contact Hannah Kiefer at [email protected]. 

To download high-resolution images from the exhibition, go here: http://bit.ly/2OlBJ5Z

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ABOUT NATHAN SAWAYA & THE ART OF THE BRICK

Former NYC corporate lawyer turned contemporary artist, Nathan Sawaya is the first artist ever to take the LEGO brick into the art world as a medium. Sawaya has earned a top position in the world of contemporary art and has created a new dimension by merging Pop Art and Surrealism in awe-inspiring and groundbreaking ways. Sawaya’s touring exhibition – THE ART OF THE BRICK® – has entertained and inspired millions of art lovers and enthusiasts around the world. CNN heralded, THE ART OF THE BRICK is one of the top ten “must-see exhibits in the world!” Sawaya is an author, speaker and one of the most popular, award-winning contemporary artists of our time. For more information visit www.brickartist.com.

ABOUT THE INDIANA STATE MUSEUM

The Indiana State Museum is located in White River State Park in the heart of downtown Indianapolis. It is Indiana’s museum for science, art and culture, offering a place where you can celebrate, investigate, remember, learn and take pride in Indiana’s story in the context of the broader world. Even the building is a showcase of the best Indiana has to offer in architecture, materials and sculpture. Easy and convenient parking is available in the attached underground garage.