The Art of the Brick - Nathan Sawaya's Blockbuster Exhibition Showcases on London's Brick Lane

NATHAN SAWAYA'S BLOCKBUSTER EXHIBITION SHOWCASES ON LONDON'S BRICK LANE

The World's Favourite LEGO® Exhibition makes its UK debut

Over 75 artworks made from more than a million LEGO bricks

The Old Truman Brewery – East London's revolutionary arts and media quarter – will host Nathan Sawaya's worldrenowned exhibition The Art of the Brick® for a limited season this autumn. Over seventy five art sculptures created from more than a million LEGO® bricks will be on display in the capital from Friday 26 September 2014 until Sunday 4 January 2015. Ticket sales for the exhibition are available from www.artofthebrick.co.uk or at 0207 492 5374.

These oneofakind LEGO brick sculptures are the work of US artist Nathan Sawaya. The Art of the Brick has been proclaimed by CNN as one of the world's 10 mustsee exhibitions and has already attracted millions of visitors worldwide in New York, Los Angeles, Melbourne, Shanghai and Singapore.

The artworks on display will be largescale sculptures many of which are human figures such as Sawaya's most famous piece Yellow and also includes a TRex skeleton Dinosaur constructed from over 80,000 LEGO bricks that measures over six metres in length. In addition, visitors will have a chance to see Sawaya's recent interpretations of some of the world's most famous artworks, such as Da Vinci's Mona Lisa, the Venus de Milo and Vermeer's Girl with a Pearl Earring. The exhibition includes an Interactive Zone inviting younger (and older) visitors to explore their creativity using the iconic bricks.

Today Sawaya has more than 4 million coloured bricks in his New York and Los Angeles art studios. His work is obsessively and painstakingly crafted and is both beautiful and playful. Sawaya's ability to transform LEGO bricks into something new, his devotion to scale and colour perfection, the way he conceptualizes the action of the subject matter, enables him to elevate an ordinary toy to the status of fine art.

According to journalist Scott Jones 'Sawaya is a surrealist mashup of forms and artists. Imagine Frank Lloyd Wright crossed with Ray Harryhausen, or Auguste Rodin crossed with Shigeru Miyamoto, and you start to get a sense of where Sawaya is coming from.'

Nathan Sawaya, whose previous career was as a successful corporate lawyer, started playing with LEGO toys at an early age and just never stopped creating. He explains:

'I use LEGO bricks as my medium because I enjoy 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. I want to elevate this simple plaything to a place it has never been before. I also appreciate the cleanliness of the medium. The right angles. The distinct lines. As so often in life, it is a matter of perspective. Up close, the shape of the brick is distinctive. But from a distance, those right angles and distinct lines change to curves.'

Carol Stenberg of promoters ExhibiTours Ltd adds:

'We are delighted to bring the blockbuster exhibition The Art of the Brick to the UK this autumn, which has already enthralled millions around the world. Sawaya's artwork consists of spectacular, oneofakind pieces. He has taken everyone's favourite iconic toy bricks and has elevated them to an art form that inspires people of all ages. Nathan's sculptures are truly amazing and excite the imaginations of everyone who sees them.'

THE ART OF THE BRICK LONDON IN NUMBERS

4,188 hours to build over 75 pieces of art

4 shipping containers required for delivery from the U.S.

80 custom made art crates

Coordinated across 5 time zones and 5,609 miles

ENDS

LISTINGS INFORMATION

TICKET PRICES

Please note, Weekday tickets are Mon Thurs,

Weekend Fri Sun

Adult: Weekday £14.50 / Weekend £16.50

Child: Weekday £8.00 / Weekend £9.50

Family (2 adults 2 kids): Weekday £40.00 / Weekend £47.00

Concessions (seniors, students, disabled passes): Weekday £11.00 / Weekend £13.00

GROUP RATES:

Adult: Mon Friday £12.50 / Sat Sun £14.50

Seniors/Students: Mon Fri £9.50 /Sat Sun £11.50

Primary Schools: Mon Fri £7.00

For tickets visit www.artofthebrick.co.uk or call 0207 492 5374.

No booking fee will be applied online, by phone or through any authorised selling agent.

THE OLD TRUMAN BREWERY

91 Brick Lane, London, E1 6QL

NOTES TO EDITORS

THE OLD TRUMAN BREWERY

The Old Truman Brewery is home to a hive of creative businesses as well as exclusively independent shops, galleries, markets, bars and restaurants. For fifteen years the Old Truman Brewery has been regenerating its ten acres of vacant and derelict buildings into spectacular office, retail, leisure and event spaces. The finely tuned mix of business and leisure has created an environment unique in London, making the Old Truman Brewery a destination in its own right.

NATHAN SAWAYA

Nathan Sawaya is an acclaimed New York & Los Angelesbased artist who creates aweinspiring artwork and largescale sculptures using only LEGO bricks. Sawaya was the first artist to ever take the toy into the art world and his touring exhibitions – The Art of the Brick – have entertained and inspired millions of art lovers and enthusiasts in North America, Australia, Taiwan, Singapore, China, Europe and

around the world. CNN heralded The Art of the Brick as one of the 'top 10 mustsee exhibits in the world!' Sawaya, a former NYC lawyer, is now an author, speaker and one of the most popular, awardwinning contemporary artists of our time. For more information about Nathan Sawaya and his artwork, visit www.brickartist.com or follow @NathanSawaya on Twitter and Instagram.

EXHIBITOURS LTD

ExhibiTours LTD was founded in order to source and stage high quality exhibitions from around the world in the United Kingdom. In addition to this, ExhibiTours are expanding their business model by curating their own bespoke exhibitions which feature a range of thought provoking topics; showcasing genuine historical pieces and boasting fascinating interactive elements.

Press Contact:

For more information, images and interview opportunities please contact Target Live: Rebecca Byers | rebecca.byers@targetlive.co.uk |020 3372 0962