The Art of LEGO

When Longmont Museum curator Erik Mason brought up the idea of mounting a summer LEGO art exhibit with his co-workers, “you could just see the eyes lighting up around the room,” he recalls. Memories of growing up with the mid-century building blocks made it an easy decision — after all,...

By Susan Froyd

August 15, 2013

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When Longmont Museum curator Erik Mason brought up the idea of mounting a summer LEGO art exhibit with his co-workers, “you could just see the eyes lighting up around the room,” he recalls. Memories of growing up with the mid-century building blocks made it an easy decision — after all, what could be a more perfect incentive for families to visit the museum? And Mason and exhibition curator Jared Thompson didn’t have to look too far to get started.

“We discovered that some of the best LEGO artists in Colorado live right here in Longmont,” he says. “They put us in touch with other folks, and we ended up with twenty artists in all, from Colorado and across the United States.”

The resulting exhibit, Build! The Amazing World of LEGO, will include a stupendous collection of LEGO sculptures, featuring everything from a giant mosaic based on a classic Superman comic-book cover and a robotic arm to a variety of model-train layouts and a scale model of the museum.

Hands-on LEGO play will be available for fans of all ages, with areas set up for racing LEGO cars, building bridges and houses, and “free-form” designs. And along with various kids’ workshops, the museum will present festivals dedicated to LEGO stop-motion animation and custom train designs.

The show kicks off with a celebration today from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Longmont Museum, 400 Quail Road in Longmont (admission is free all day), and runs through September 8. Regular admission is $3 to $5 and free for children ages five and under. Visit longmontmuseum.org for information.
June 8-Sept. 8, 2013

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Susan Froyd started writing for Westword as the "Thrills" editor in 1992 and never quite left the fold. These days she still freelances for the paper in addition to walking her dogs, enjoying cheap ethnic food and reading voraciously. Sometimes she writes poetry.

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