Kirtland: Holden Arboretum announces LEGO outdoor exhibit for summer 2023

Editorial staff, The News-Herald, Willoughby, Ohio
·2 min read

Feb. 28—Holden Arboretum recently announced it will open a new outdoor exhibit "that will appeal to the kid in all of us."

Sean Kenney's "Nature Connects Made with LEGO Bricks" features more than a dozen colorful creations that will pop out of garden and trail landscapes creating a magical new world at the arboretum, according to a news release.

Nature Connects opens May 27 and runs through Sept. 4. Tickets will be available for purchase beginning in May at holdenfg.org.

The brings flora and fauna to life with 14 sculptures built with over 350,000 blocks. As visitors explore the arboretum grounds, they will be greeted by a giant monarch butterfly, a lily, a huge hummingbird pollinating a flower, and nearly a dozen more creations, the release stated.

"We are thrilled to bring this unique and playful exhibit to the Holden Arboretum and hope that folks will have fun seeking to find all 14 nature-inspired sculptures," Beth Kelly, director of guest experience, stated in the release. "While many of artist Sean Kenney's creations will stand out because of their enormous size or gravity-defying shapes, some will require keener observation skills."

Kenney is an award-winning artist who uses LEGO pieces as a medium for contemporary sculpture, portraiture and commercial art. He is recognized as one of the leading experts in the field and is a founding member of several global programs that aim to encourage and support this emerging art form, according to the release.

"We created sculptures that have thin flower petals, insect wings or antennae, and legs," Kenney stated in the release. "Making these giant sculptures sturdy enough was one of the biggest challenges I faced. "Balancing the delicate wispiness of nature with the sturdiness that's required was quite a feat."

The narrative that accompanies the intricate displays in Nature Connects are intended to remind visitors of the importance of conservation, the balance of ecosystems, as well as the relationships between humankind and the natural world.