Best of Budapest & Hungary

Shocking, fascinating and you wonder how it's possible. These were the words visitors used to describe their experience at the opening ceremony of ‘The Art Of The Brick’ exhibition in Budapest, according to a LEGO press release. The exhibition features sculptures and creations made exclusively from LEGO® building blocks by New York artist Nathan Sawaya.

"I'm passionate about all things LEGO® brick related. This exhibition is a real family event, as is LEGO® building, something that all ages in our family enjoyed. You don't understand how it is possible to make such special artistic creations from these tiny bricks.  Now, when we go home, we're definitely going to tackle the LEGO® boxes." Claudia Liptai, the hostess of the opening ceremony said.

Chresten Bruun, Senior Vice President of the LEGO® Group and head of the LEGO factory in Nyíregyháza, NE Hungary, said that they were proud to be a partner of the exhibition and to show the public in Hungary why creative work knows no boundaries and why building with LEGO bricks is not going out of fashion. "Nyíregyháza in Hungary is one of the five LEGO factories in the world. We are proud that we produce the bricks from which these magical creations are made. It's also possible that some of the building blocks for the exhibition were made here,” he added.

"It is a rare occasion that such a unique exhibition comes to Budapest. So far, The ‘Art of The Brick’ has been a great success in 42 cities around the world, so Nathan Sawaya's art is recognized worldwide. Beyond the entertainment and the WOW experience – which sucks in all generations –, his mission is to bring the art history, the experience of creating by hand against the online trends, closer to the younger generations, so that everyone understands that there is nothing impossible in creating. Even the smallest building blocks can create great wonders," according to Tamás Elter, art historian and curator of the exhibition that is among CNN's TOP 10 must-see traveling exhibitions.

 Artist Nathan Sawaya welcomed the opening of the Hungarian exhibition from New York City: "I use LEGO® bricks as a medium because I like to see people's reactions to artworks I have made from something they know. Everyone can relate to LEGO® building because it's a toy that many kids have at home and that adults can relate to. I'm taking this simple toy to a place it's never been before. I also love the clarity of the medium, the right angles, the separate lines. As is often the case in life, it's a matter of perspective. Up close, the shape of the cube is distinctive. But from a distance, these right angles and visible lines become arcs. And what everyone knows and understands is that dreams are built on a cube-by-cube basis."

 The Art of The Brick exhibition will be on view until January 31, 2023 at the Complex in Budapest. As part of the exhibition, a FunZone area and an interactive corner have been created where children and adults can create freely in the large LEGO® pool. The exhibition is barrier-free and visitors can enjoy the artworks with an audio-guide tour.