The Art of the Brick: DC Super Heroes

Disappointing exhibition on the South Bank of sculptures in Lego by Nathan Sawaya.

I say disappointing because I much preferred the previous show in Brick Lane. This exhibition concentrated on DC comic heroes and villains which made the models a bit samey. I thought the previous show had much more variety and was cleverer. It did give a great overview of the characters from DC Comics including lesser known figures as well as the iconic Superman and Batman. But as I’m not a big fan this was slightly lost on me.

I did like one of the first rooms which had a round display of all the main figures made to the same scale. It gave a good view of the different costumes and was really colourful. I liked the way Sawaya created the effect of the curve of buttocks and breasts with square bricks.

There was a room devoted to Superman with various models of iconic poses.  My favourite was a life sized flying figure hung at eye level. I loved the way the clock was breaking up at the edges to give an idea of speed. The show ended with a Batman room which you entered via a Bat Cave entrance and included a full scale Bat Mobile in Lego and a Batman figure with its back towards you and various bright comic covers covering the cloak.

It’s a show which it would be more fun to go to with a group of people to get conversation going about the works. I went on my own and mid-afternoon on a weekday most of the other punters were also on their own. It was a show which, for once, needed a bit more buzz and atmosphere.

Closes on 3 September 2017

 

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