New York, NY, November 3, 2010:

Internationally famous LEGO brick artist Nathan Sawaya returns to Agora Gallery in RED – an exhibition featuring his all new work, which presents for the first time the recent artistic shift which Sawaya’s work has undergone. While the sculpture retains its surrealist charm, the artist says that his work is in many ways ‘the antithesis of my previous work. It is an introspective show. By working with an unconventional medium, I work within the trappings of a self-imposed prison.’

Nathan Sawaya works in his studio with over 1.5 million LEGO brick components. By this stage in his career, he says, he even sometimes sees the world in little rectangle shapes. Yet the unusual medium is an important part of what makes the work so appealing. The structure of the bricks themselves lends a certain appeal to the pieces – although each individual block is an unyielding mass, the pieces when seen in their entirely look smooth and gently finished. The sharp edges come into focus only from close up, while from further away, they cannot be seen.

Naturally, the associations that so many visitors have with LEGO as a beloved childhood toy is also a fundamental element to be borne in mind when viewing the art. Because of this dynamic, Sawaya finds that people who would never normally visit an art gallery or exhibition are struck by, even bowled over by, his LEGO structures. They are able to view them in a rare and special way, reawakening long-lost memories and feelings which then combine with the present experience of his fascinating creations.

LEGO is a part of childhood for many people, and as such these remarkable works speak to us on an unusually deep level. Nathan Sawaya himself feels that his childhood experience with the medium contributed to his current work – as he says, “the bricks were there, in my house as a child growing up. Accessibility is the first and foremost important element to getting started. We didn’t have slabs of marble or coils of rebar lying around.” Looking at this exhibition, no one could wish for marble or rebar. These fascinating, thought-provoking sculptures represent fine art at its most creative and best.

• Exhibition dates: November 23, 2010 – December 14, 2010
• Reception: Thursday, December 02, 2010 6-8 PM
• Gallery Location: 530 West 25th St, New York City
• Gallery Hours: Tues – Sat, 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.

About Agora Gallery

Agora Gallery is a fine art gallery located in the heart of New York City’s Chelsea art galleries district that was established in 1984 and is famous for showcasing a spectacular array of talented artists from around the world and around the corner, while providing quality and original art to collectors. The gallery also publishes ARTisSpectrum Magazine, a bi-annual magazine that is distributed to museums, galleries, art institutions and art schools around the world. It provides artists, collectors, museums, galleries, art organizations and enthusiasts with access to the work of internationally talented artists as well as feature articles, reviews and interviews. Agora Gallery is also the sponsor of ARTmine, one of the most comprehensive resources available worldwide to view and purchase fine art. Most recently, the gallery launched Agora Art Blog, a blog designed to provide helpful information and advice for artists while providing a forum for artists to help one another by sharing their experiences and thoughts.