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Nathan Sawaya, "Hugman" at Brookfield Place in Calgary (photo by Janille Delos Reyes)
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photo courtesy of Brookfield Place
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photo courtesy of Brookfield Properties
Downtown Calgary has been invaded by 43 Hugman figures — Lego figures created by American artist Nathan Sawaya.
In mid-July, colourful Lego figures began appearing in various Brookfield Properties offices – Bankers Hall, Brookfield Place, Suncor Energy and Fifth Avenue Place — in Calgary, their Canadian debut. They're on view until the end of August.
Toronto will be the next stop for Sawaya's Hugman project, in fall 2024.
“The colourful figures ask viewers to reflect on the power of human connection and the art of the embrace,” according to the Brookfield team.
An award-winning artist who works only with Lego plastic bricks, Sawaya began creating Lego figures that could hug signposts, fence posts, park benches and more about a decade ago. He started by putting them in public places in the U.S. but quickly expanded the project to other cities around the world. So far, the largest figure is 165 cm (65 inches) high.
The project is reminiscent of Calgary’s Udderly Art Cow project in 2000 when more than 100 cows painted by artists grazed downtown all summer. ■
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