Massive Lego sculpture exhibit opens at Old Westbury Gardens

When Long Islanders visit Old Westbury Gardens this weekend, they might be surprised to see striking new visuals. Amsterdam-based artist Sean Kenney has incorporated his famous Lego sculptures into the landscape, using more than 300,000 Lego bricks in an exhibit called, "Sean Kenney’s Nature Connects."

The exhibition, which runs from May 15 through Sept. 7, showcases 17 Lego sculptures designed by Kenney that blend into nature.

"When I saw this exhibit with all the colors and the sculptures themselves, it reminded me of the Disney film ‘Honey, I Shrunk the Kids,’ " says Maura Brush, president and CEO of Old Westbury Gardens. "There’s a ginormous butterfly and a ginormous hummingbird. It’s incredibly joyful and connected to nature."

Kenney’s sculptures toured the country but hadn't been shown in the Northeast before their debut at Old Westbury Gardens. They were built in his Brooklyn studio. The exhibit will be open for members May 15 and to the public May 16.

SURPRISE SCULPTURES

The sculptures, some as tall as 5 feet, are spread throughout the most formal areas of the gardens.

"The horticulture team and I decided to space it out. The sculptures are going to be close enough together, not scattered to the four corners of our 220 acres," Brush says. "You start at the main house and it spreads out during a meandering walk when a sculpture will come up as a surprise."

The sculptures include a snail on a mushroom in the woodlands, a hummingbird sipping from a trumpet vine in the Walled Garden, a giant dragonfly perched on the East Lake and a frog on a lily pad in Boxwood Garden.

"We tried to pick sculptures based on the animals and plants we have in the garden on a regular day," Brush adds.

HANDS-ON ARTIST

Kenney has been building with Legos throughout his life and even labeled himself "a total Lego maniac," saying they were the only toys he ever asked for each year on his birthday as a kid.

"They’re just so intrinsically fun and whimsical. I think they reflect my personality well — I am structured and organized and logical, but I am also rather silly and love to laugh," Kenney says. "Lego bricks are very relatable. Everyone who’s ever built something with Lego bricks can look at my work and connect with it."

All of the Lego sculptures are fully glued and steel-reinforced. Each one is coated with a special UV-resistant lacquer to protect the plastic from the sun. They’re also bolted to the ground to protect against weather.

"All of the sculptures in the exhibit took 2,959 hours to make, together with a team of about five assistants over the course of a year," Kenney says. "Any one sculpture can take a single person months to design and construct."

UPCOMING LEGO EVENTS

Lego-themed events will be held to coincide with the new exhibit.

"Bricks & Brews" for adults (21 and over) is happening May 21 and Aug. 6 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. The evening will include a guided tour of the exhibit along with a build-your-own botanical Lego kit session at the barn, where refreshments will be served. Each guest receives one drink ticket (redeemable for a beer or glass of wine). All participants will take home their Lego kit at the end of the program. Tickets are $50 per person.

"Family Nights" are scheduled for May 30, July 18 and Aug. 15 (5:30 and 7 p.m. sessions). Families will get a tour of the exhibit, a hands-on bug information station where insects can be viewed up close, a Lego free-play area for kids and a live bug show. Tickets are $34 for adults, $24 for children (17 and under).

"Brick Builders Build Something Together" takes place May 28 and June 25 from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. for ages 5 and up. Attendees will spend an afternoon exploring the exhibit on a guided walk through the gardens and then build a Lego friends flower stand with roses in the barn. Tickets are $24 per child (17 and under), $22 per adult (no kit for adults).

"I think the sculptures will feel at home here," Brush says. "This garden is set to explode in May. That is when everything is in full bloom."