Lego lovers know that there’s far more to the blocks of delight than simply building. Structured creativity for some, is an art form. For others “Lego is not art” and it does not need to be, as the Guardian’s Jonothan Jones once mused.
Wherever you stand on the Lego-art debate, the Lego company has taken a bold step into the art world in honouring none other than Vincent Van Gogh.
The set is called “The Starry Night set”, paying tribute to what is arguably the late Dutch artist’s most famous work.
“The three-dimensional set reimagines Vincent van Gogh’s renowned 1889 painting in LEGO form, with strong emphasis on the artist’s striking brush strokes and colour choice. Inspired by the view from his window at the Monastery of Saint-Paul de Mausole asylum in Saint-Rémy, France, where the artist spent twelve months, The Starry Night is one of the world’s most well-known post-impressionist works and has been a visitor favourite at MoMA since it first arrived in 1935,” says the company.
The idea was designed by a 25-year-old Hon Kong fan named Truman Cheng, who submitted the idea to Lego a few years prior.
And, as if the swirling brushstrokes of Van Gogh’s paint palettes capturing those famous stars above the Provence village weren’t enough, the set also includes a miniature version of Van Gogh painting his famous work on a tiny easel.
Now, this isn’t Lego’s first tango with the art world, as the company has also released a set inspired by Andy Warhol’s Marilyn Monroe.
As it is with many shiny new toys that grace the world, the question must be asked: how much is it going to cost?
We all know that Lego isn’t known for being entirely cost-friendly, and if you’ve got a few thousand to spare, the price shouldn’t shake you to your core.
Coming on 25 May, the Starry Night set will set you back R2,999.
But, if art and lego are your labours of love, price may not even be a question.
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Picture: Lego