THE ART OF THE BRICK: DC COMICS

An exhibition built from Lego and based around comic book characters may seem juvenile in nature, but ‘Lego artist’ Nathan Sawaya’s sculptures are nothing short of mesmerising.

With the larger statues comprised of many thousands of individual Lego bricks, Sawaya’s pieces are technical marvels and each is an artwork in its own right.

The exhibition pays tribute to the biggest heroes and villains of the DC universe with Superman, Batman and The Joker overshadowing the collection. But Sawaya also pays equal care and attention to more marginalised characters, the often purely sexualised Wonder Woman (who is strong and powerful through his gaze) and Aquaman (who is often the butt of the joke when it comes to discussions about super powers).

Travelling through this exhibition feels much more like partaking in a hyper colour interactive installation. Sawaya injects his own personality, humour and sentimentalism about comic book characters into his work. Reading the descriptive placards as you walk around is highly recommended, if only to keep track of how many individual Lego bricks were used in each build and how many burritos were consumed to ‘inspire’ each particular piece.

You don’t necessarily need to be a fanatic of either DC or Lego to get a kick out of this exhibition; it will still ‘inspire the hero within’. The Art of the Brick was due to finish up with the first days of May, but due to popular demand it will continue to run through to mid-June.

It is worth your while to wait to watch the introductory video before starting your journey (and I’d also recommend making sure you’re not stuck pacing next to a family that is already threatening their small, shrieking children with “no presents at the gift shop” five minutes in). (AM)

Until Jun 13, 10am–5pm (last entry 3.30pm). Powerhouse Museum, 500 Harris Street, Ultimo. $16.60-$26 (family passes available). Tickets & info: maas.museum or ticketek.com.au (or on the door).

https://youtu.be/13yIvXwjrvM