City in Hand Sculpture

Name of Model: "Rebirth of New Orleans"

Created by: Nathan Sawaya

Found at: http://www.brickartist.com/rebirth_of_new_orleans.html

Details: Professional LEGO sculptor Nathan Sawaya was commissioned to build this piece in December 2006 for a permanent exhibit at the New Orleans Public Library. The sculpture depicts a fanciful version of a rebuilt New Orleans - and the featured buildings are based on drawings sent in by kids from across the country. The whimsy-factor was piped in - the swaying buildings of the final sculpture are caricatures of the original drawings with exaggerated curvy lines and misaligned windows. The gigantic hand that holds the exhibit is probably my favorite piece of this - it completes the surreal impression given here. Over 120,000 LEGO bricks were used for this one (and that's before we get into the bright and hard-to-find colors)!