Sean Kenney's NATURE CONNECTS Exhibit Opens In Gainesville March 4

The Atlanta Botanical Garden, Gainesville will present a new sculpture exhibition this spring that begs the question: How are elements of the natural world connected?

Sean Kenney's Nature Connects Made with LEGO Bricks, set for March 4 - May 30, features sculptures by artist Sean Kenney constructed entirely of LEGO bricks. These precisely built yet whimsical pieces are designed to inspire both the young and the young-at-heart about the natural world.

Kenney uses only standard, off-the-shelf, commercially available LEGO pieces for his sculptures -- no special colors or shapes. Each piece is connected to another, and the sculptures are built within the rules of the LEGO system. The sculptures require exacting detail and countless hours - the roseate skimmer dragonfly, for example, took more than 500 hours to build, while the intricate corn spider required 135 hours.

For the exhibition, 15 sculptures will be nestled among beds throughout the main garden, creating a sense of exploration and adventure as visitors stroll along the pathways. They reflect themes that include pollination, endangered animals and habitat preservation. The largest piece is a stunning, ornate peacock constructed of more than 68,000 bricks. There are also deer in the garden (the LEGO kind), with a buck and doe watching over a baby fawn.

Because the exhibition is sure to inspire budding artists, ecologists and builders to dream big, after seeing the sculptures guests no doubt will want to go home and create their own sculptures.

The mission of the Atlanta Botanical Garden is to develop and maintain plant collections for display, education, research, conservation and enjoyment. For more information visit atlantabg.org or phone 404-876-5859.