Australian Lego exhibit draws crowds with Wonders of the World and pop culture mosaics – including portraits of all the James Bonds.
Ryan “Brickman” McNaught is the creator of the Brickman Experience, a Lego exhibit of record-breaking models on tour across Australia. He’s one of 14 Lego Certified Professionals in the world (more on that later) and his work shows that title is more than earned.
Australian Lego fans can visit the exhibit to see sixty original works, including an Airbus A380, a quarter-scale “Ferris Bueller Ferrari,” and the world’s largest Lego flower. Visitors can also see space shuttles and Star Wars builds, not to mention a model of the Sydney Opera House, complete with tiny theater goers. The exhibit also includes a model Roman Colosseum, partially designed as it was in 180 A.D. and partially designed as it is now as a modern ruin.
In addition to his 3D models, McNaught creates mosaics inspired by Pixar – including, of course, the Lego Movie – and portraits of every James Bond. Never satisfied, he has more models and mosaics in mind and keeps a running list of things he wants to build on his phone.
McNaught’s fellow Lego Certified Professionals also contributed to the exhibit, with models designed to reflect their home countries as well as the transport theme.
Which brings us to the question, what is a Lego Certified Professional and how do you become one?
Lego Certified Professionals (LCPs) are adult Lego builders who create Lego sets as a full-time or part-time profession. They are not Lego employees, but they are recognized by the Lego Group as “trusted business partners.” They are “full-time, freelance Lego artists.” It’s unclear how one becomes an LCP; Lego is “extremely secretive” about what they look for and there’s no public application process. The Lego site currently says they are “not accepting any further candidates to become LEGO Certified Professionals.”
Luckily, it doesn’t take a professional eye to see how cool McNaught’s exhibit is.