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Dorman builds up to new LEGO®-inspired exhibition

Leisure and entertainment

Thursday, 14 September 2023
Part of the LEGO exhibition

Middlesbrough’s Dorman Museum is building up to a new exhibition inspired by a childhood favourite.

The Brick by Brick LEGO® exhibition opens on Friday (September 15) and is set to be a hit with young and old alike.

The show follows on from the hugely popular Titanic exhibition which attracted more than 16,000 visitors, making Middlesbrough the most popular location on the UK tour.

Brick by Brick – taking centre stage at the Linthorpe Road museum until Christmas - brings together an incredible collection of artwork from 18 artists, designers and photographers from across the world, with one Darlington-born creator flying the flag for the North East.

All of the artwork, photography and creations on show are inspired by LEGO® bricks in some shape or form and the works offer a humorous look at politics and pop culture as well as casting a light on more serious subjects.

Star Wars, Spiderman Harry Potter fans are in for a treat as Darlington artist, James Paterson, has created a serious of brick-inspired paintings of recognisable characters from blockbuster films as part of his ‘Toys’ collection.

David Turner’s firearms installation is a nod to his own childhood experiences growing up in Northern Ireland during ‘The Troubles’.

He’s used the bricks to depict 19 replica guns which offer an insight into his childhood, growing up in a divided area of Belfast. 

Collectively known as The Little Artists, John Cake and Darren Neave have replicated a series of well-known artworks and personalities taking inspiration from Damien Hirst and others.

Fans of the tiny bricks can marvel at a range of stunning 2D and 3D work in a variety of scales, from jewellery to sculpture which are contained in both wall mounted and plinth-based exhibits.

There’s also a LEGO® graffiti wall, a build table to create your own masterpieces and a selection games that allow visitors the chance to try their hand at creating their own construction brick artwork.

Councillor Philippa Storey, Middlesbrough Deputy Mayor and Executive member for Culture & Education, said: “The Titanic exhibition will be a hard act to follow, but LEGO has been a part of so many young – and not so young – lives that Brick by Brick is bound to be another hit.

“These amazing creations will appeal to both grown-ups and children, and will undoubtedly inspire them to make their own new designs from this timeless building material which is so much more than just a toy.”

The exhibition runs at Dorman Museum from Friday, September 15 until Sunday, December 10 and is open Tuesday – Sunday from 10am – 4pm.

Entry to the museum is free and single tickets to the exhibition cost £3 + booking fee or £10 + booking fee for a group of four people.

Participating artists are: The Little Artists, Valentino Fialdini, David Hughes, David Turner, Jason Freeny, Ekow Nimako, Janet Curley Cannon, Hannah Gibson, Cole Blaq, Little Big Art, Zino, Eat My Bricks, Samsofy, Michael Brennand-Wood, James Paterson, Agabag, AME 72 and Jonathan Rolph.

Part of the LEGO exhibition