VIDEO: The Art of the Brick displayed at Mulvane

Brick by Brick Nathan Sawaya talks to the media about his work

Nathan Sawaya’s 28 LEGO® brick sculptures will form “The Art of the Brick” exhibit June 18 to Sept. 18 at the Mulvane Art Museum. Admission is free.

Sawaya uses LEGO® bricks as a medium because he enjoys seeing people’s reactions to artwork created from something with which they are familiar. Everyone can relate to it since it is a toy that many children have at home.

It takes weeks for Sawaya to complete a life size human form. The long hours of creating a new piece brings him immense satisfaction. Besides recreating objects and buildings, which he does, brilliantly, Sawaya uses the LEGO® brick as other artists use canvas, stone, or clay: to express himself and to challenge viewers to interpret his creations. His amazing “Red, Yellow and Blue” series explores emotion through the human form, reaching an artistic level not usually associated with a toy.

Sawaya has been featured on some of the biggest talk shows around including “The Today Show,” “Late Night with David Letterman,” “The Colbert Report” and “CBS Sunday Morning.” For more information on Sawaya and “The Art of the Brick,” visit www.brickartist.com.

The Mulvane Art Museum, ArtLab and gift shop are open 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Friday and 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Admission is free. The Museum is closed Mondays and major holidays.

The Mulvane is located on the campus of Washburn University, at 17th and Jewell streets. Free parking is available directly to the west of the Museum.

Call 785-670-1124 or go to www.washburn.edu/mulvane.