LEGO art installation enhances the natural beauty of Old Westbury Gardens

Reporting & Photography by Kevin Schwartz

Keeping up with the tradition of yearly art installations that serve to enhance the natural beauty of the venue, Old Westbury Gardens in Nassau County has partnered with world-renowned LEGO architect Sean Kenney.

Creating art with LEGO bricks at a professional level since 2005, Kenney has made a name for himself by touring his exhibitions across the globe, allowing millions of people the chance to see his intricate creations with their own eyes. His installation at Old Westbury Gardens, entitled “Nature Connects”, uses more than 300,000 LEGO bricks to represent the beauty of our natural world.

Available for viewing at the Gardens from now until September 7th, Kenney’s sculptures blend art, science, and nature. These works of art are molded into the environment of the gardens, allowing visitors to come across them in an organic way throughout their journey at the gardens.

Speaking to the importance of the artwork and environment blending seamlessly, Old Westbury Gardens director Maura Brush stated that “Whenever we choose a temporary exhibit, I like it to be something that enhances the gardens; it doesn’t necessarily take away from it.” She also said they expected to attract families with children to this exhibit and were surprised to see how many adult Lego fans have been drawn to it.

Signs throughout the venue showcase facts about each sculpture, including the importance of the organism being represented in our natural world, its conservation status, and the number of LEGO bricks and hours it took Kenney to assemble them.