‘Nature Connects 2: Art With LEGO® Bricks’ On View Through April 26, 2015 at Lauritzen Gardens in Omaha, Nebraska

Lauritzen Gardens in Omaha, Nebraska is the third stop for the blockbuster traveling exhibit Nature Connects 2: Art with LEGO® Bricks by Sean Kenney. Inspired by nature and built from more than 300,000 LEGO® bricks, Nature Connects 2 features a collection of new, larger-than-life LEGO® brick sculptures. “LEGO”, by the way, comes from the Danish phrase “leg godt”, which means “play well”. In 1949, LEGO® in Denmark began manufacturing the world-famous interlocking toy bricks. In 2016, LEGO fans of all ages can experience the LEGO® story and the endless possibilities of the LEGO brick in a 12,000 m2 experience center in Billund, Denmark.

This Bald Eagle by Sean Kenney is made out of 42,198 LEGO® pieces. (Photo courtesy of Lauritzen Gardens for The Danish Pioneer Newspaper)

This Bald Eagle by Sean Kenney is made out of 42,198 LEGO® pieces. (Photo courtesy of Lauritzen Gardens for The Danish Pioneer Newspaper)

Meanwhile, the 14 new installations at Lauritzen Gardens in Omaha feature 27 pieces- including a giant praying mantis, a majestic bald eagle, a waddling family of ducks, a hungry milk snake on the prowl, and a magnificent monarch butterfly, and will be housed inside the garden’s floral display hall from January 17 through April 26, 2015.

Just as LEGO® bricks connect together to create something fun, colorful and intricate, so too is nature. All living things on Earth are interconnected to create a complex and amazing network with each piece relying on the others to which it is connected. Nature Connects 2 uses the magical fun of LEGO® bricks to connect the public to the wonders of the natural world. These amazing sculptures, created one LEGO® brick at a time, celebrate and explore the fantastic, countless and often fragile connections that sustain life on Earth and represent just how interconnected nature is. The sculptures are the work of artist Sean Kenney, and were commissioned by Reiman Gardens of Iowa State University.

CLICK TO ENLARGE IMAGE: Look closely at the

CLICK TO ENLARGE IMAGE: Look closely at the “Duck with Ducklings” made out LEGO® bricks. (Photo courtesy of Lauritzen Gardens for The Danish Pioneer Newspaper)

Garden guests can create their own LEGO® brick masterpieces daily at the building station and participate in fun, themed events scheduled throughout the duration of the exhibit, including the LEGO® Brick Artists Expo on February 8, the LEGO® Brick Sculpture Invitational on March 22 and the LEGO® Robotics Competition on April 12.

Entrance to Nature Connects 2 will be included with paid garden admission of $10 for adults, $5 for children 6-12 and free for children under 6 and garden members. It will be open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The exhibit is presented by The Douglas County Visitor Improvement Fund, The Sherwood Foundation and the H. Lee and Carol Gendler Charitable Fund, and is sponsored by the Peter Kiewit Foundation, Children’s Hospital & Medical Center, a friend of the garden, Sharon and Randy Blackburn, C&A Industries, Inc., Deb and Bill Dinsmoor, the Nebraska Arts Council and the Nebraska Cultural Endowment.

CLICK TO ENLARGE IMAGE: There's also a

CLICK TO ENLARGE IMAGE: There’s also a “Gardener” at work in the midst of the greenery created from the LEGO® bricks. (Photo courtesy of Lauritzen Gardens for The Danish Pioneer Newspaper)

ABOUT THE ARTIST SEAN KENNEY: Sean Kenney spent so much time playing with LEGO® toys growing up that he decided he might as well make a career of it. For nearly a decade, Sean has been turning ordinary LEGO® bricks into spectacular works of art. Based in New York City, Sean was the first of now only 12 LEGO® Certified Professionals worldwide, who are not employees of LEGO®, but who are officially recognized by the LEGO® Group as trusted business partners because of their building proficiency, their enthusiasm for the LEGO® brick and building system, and a professional approach towards other LEGO® fans and the broader public.

His work is continually featured in major media outlets around the world, including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, BBC News, and Good Morning America. A recent magazine article described his life as a “never-ending block party.” While the ubiquitous, brightly colored, plastic rectangles could easily be dismissed as a child’s plaything, so too could certain clay, paints, or pencils. Working with the medium brings new and exciting forms to sculpture, dictated by a limited palette, grids, and blocky forms.

Birds vs. Squirrels in LEGO® form. (Photo courtesy of Lauritzen Gardens for The Danish Pioneer Newspaper)

CLICK TO ENLARGE IMAGE: Birds vs. Squirrels in LEGO® form. (Photo courtesy of Lauritzen Gardens for The Danish Pioneer Newspaper)

Overcoming these challenges is exciting and rewarding for both the artist and the viewer. Unlike traditional mediums, the toy immediately connects with so many people on such a personal level. Each sculpture touches people as both a reflection from their childhood and as a sculptural piece of art. Sean aims to spark creativity in the viewer, especially in the case of a child, who can not only visualize creating something great themselves, but who can actually go home and do so.

Sean’s creativity extends beyond his LEGO® works; he has created four internationally touring exhibits, and has written a series of best-selling books and building guides for children. He also has more than two million LEGO® pieces.

For more information about the artist, and to view other works, visit Sean Kenney’s website at http://www.seankenney.com.

ABOUT THE SCULPTURES

  1. Praying Mantis = 42, 164 pieces (59” x 22” 50”)
  2. Bald Eagle = 42, 198 pieces (31” x 29” x 60”)
  3. Milk Snake and Mouse = 12,069 pieces (41” x 41” x 128” and 12” x 12” x 7”)
  4. Duck and Ducklings = 6,927 pieces (12” x 12” x 6” and 6” x 6” x 6”)
  5. Hummingbird and Flower = 31,565 pieces (64” x32.25” x 77”)
  6. Oriental Lily = 32,514 pieces (84” x 34” x 23”)
  7. Monarch on Milkweed = 60,549 pieces (55” x 45” x 53”)
  8. Moth Orchid = 2,300 pieces (19” x 19” x 38”)
  9. Kneeling Gardener = 16,383 pieces (48” x  28” x 39”)
  10. Rototiller = 20,903 pieces (50” x 31” x 30”)
  11. Birds vs. Squirrels = 8,586 pieces (56” x 38” x 38”)
  12. Sundial = 27,869 pieces (49” x 49” x 35”)
  13. Pileated Woodpecker = 4,424 pieces (9” x 9” x 21”)
  14. Mosaic = 24,330 pieces (62” x 19” x 62”)

 

LauritzenGardens-LogoLauritzen Gardens is an urban oasis of beauty and tranquility. This 100-acre botanical garden, comprised of several outdoor garden areas, creates a living museum of unique four-season plant displays, maintained to the highest standards consistent with environmental stewardship.

Lauritzen Gardens is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and the café serves lunch from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., every day except Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day. Admission to Lauritzen Gardens is $10 for adults and $5 for children ages six to 12 and free for members and children younger than six years old.

Lauritzen Gardens is conveniently located in the beautiful riverfront hills at First and Bancroft Streets and is close to the Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium and the Old Market. For more information, please visit http://www.lauritzengardens.org/ or call (402) 346-4002.

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Sean Kenney's

CLICK ON THE IMAGE TO ENLARGE: Sean Kenney’s “Praying Mantis” is created from 42,164 LEGO® pieces. (Photo courtesy of Lauritzen Gardens for The Danish Pioneer Newspaper)

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