The Art of the Brick

Opening reception Sat., Aug. 23, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., with artist Nathan Sawaya; through Nov. 30, $4-$8, American Swedish Historical Museum, 1900 Pattison Ave., 215-389-1776, americanswedish.org, brickartist.com.

by Aaron Moselle

VISUAL ART

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In 1978, Nathan Sawaya's parents gave him his first set of Lego bricks. The 5-year-old immediately got to work, quickly moving from the construction of a single house to an entire city that expanded behind the living room couch. He kept building it all the way through high school.

Sawaya's childhood passion for Legos hasn't waned. And with an estimated studio inventory of 1.5 million pieces, the artist's ambitions have only grown. He now uses the interlocking bricks as a medium for creating two- and three-dimensional artwork, examples of which will be on display at the American Swedish Historical Museum as part a 10-city national tour titled "The Art of the Brick." Among the 30 works included in the exhibition are Sawaya's brightly colored, pop-art-y Courtney Yellow (pictured); and more-serious Grasp, depicting a life-size human form trying to free itself from six arms restraining him, which explores the negativity Sawaya has encountered in his choice to become a full-time artist.

Sawaya hopes his creations become the building blocks for his audience's artistic inspiration. "These kids and adults come for the Lego, but they stay for the art," he says.

Opening reception Sat., Aug. 23, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., with artist Nathan Sawaya; through Nov. 30, $4-$8, American Swedish Historical Museum, 1900 Pattison Ave., 215-389-1776, americanswedish.org, brickartist.com.