Lego art that'll knock your blocks off

Hello! You're reading the CBC Arts newsletter, and if you like what you see, stick around! Sign up here, and every Sunday we'll send you a fresh email packed with art, culture and a metric truckload of eye candy, hand-picked by our small and mighty team. Here's what we've been talking about this week.

Hi, art lovers!

September's here, and we're getting ready to reveal a new fall look for the CBC Arts logo. Since the beginning of 2018, we've been commissioning Canadian artists to make over our profile pics. Get a look at what Ekow Nimako came up with.

Ekow's a Lego artist, and if you did Nuit Blanche Toronto in 2016, you'll probably remember the enormous white owl he snapped together outside the Gardiner Museum. And if not, we got it all on video. (He'll actually be back at Nuit Blanche later this month.)

Along with his take on "brand building," here are a few Lego links that clicked with us this week.

The Art of the Brick, an exhibition billing itself as "the world's largest display of Lego art," closed at the Canada Science and Technology Museum. Featuring sculptures by American artist Nathan Sawaya, CBC News got a tour earlier this summer — take a look!

We get how playing with blocks can help a kid learn a little about problem solving and basic engineering, but how about this: a Lego art project that could help people understand cryptocurrencies. That's part of what's driving these Lego abstracts by Andy Bauch. (Each one actually hides a key to a cryptocurrency wallet.) If you don't have the time to crack it, this other Lego-based series by the L.A. artist could teach you a bit about art history instead.

Because nobody wants to spend their long weekend in Ikea, here's some DIY inspiration from Yusong Zhang, who made this sleek Lego coffee table without the use of a single Allen key. Requiring a mere 10,480 blocks, it would be the perfect addition to this cozy family home in Australia...that is so Lego-obsessed, the staircase is built out of bricks.

You've got to see this

We're so stoked for this show, we're throwing a party - You're all invited, by the way. In the Making, the latest CBC Arts documentary series, debuts next month. If you're in Toronto, you can score free tickets to a special screening, alongside the season premiere of CBC Arts: Exhibitionists, Sept. 19. (RSVP here!) For the rest of us, the big premiere is Sept. 21. And now might be a good time to mention what the show's about, huh? Sean O'Neill (remember Crash Gallery?) travels the world to hang out with eight game-changing Canadian artists, including Lido Pimienta, Talwst and Chilly Gonzales. Watch the trailer!

Enter the Dragon...Tank? - Three curators will decide who will see their dreams become a reality! It's not a reality show, it's an art exhibition — one that's totally spoofing Dragons' Den and Shark Tank. Check out some of the "pitches" hot enough to make it in the Dragon Tank.

13 essential LGBTQ movies to add to your TIFF wish list - This Thursday, the madness begins. The Toronto International Film Festival returns this week, and CBC Arts will be rolling out movie picks as we head into TIFF — starting with this guide to the festival's must-see LGBTQ offerings, including a double dose of Xavier Dolan and Cannes sensation Girl.

Follow this artist

Tylor Macmillan (@deep.gnome) - OK, so this particular design isn't going to be used in any corporate re-design, but Tylor Macmillan is majorly influenced by big brand logos. We'll let him explain. Watch his episode of Art Minute.

Got story ideas? Typo catches? Lego creations so incredible you'd s%@& a plastic brick?

We're always around. Hit us up over email, and we'll do our best to get back to you.

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Until next week!

XOXO, CBC Arts

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