A groundbreaking, full-color LEGO art book that celebrates Black creativity and cultural impact through expressive brick sculptures and accessible biographical storytelling.
Based on an award-winning, museum-exhibited art project, this one-of-a-kind A-Z gallery features 26 portraits of cultural icons reimagined in LEGO, from Toni Morrison and Sidney Poitier to Serena and Venus Williams.
This LEGO® art book is a visual tribute to the artists, activists, athletes, thinkers, and trailblazers whose influence continues to shape our world. Created by LEGO Masters (USA) alumni Richard Dryden and Dave Kaleta, each entry pairs a richly photographed LEGO portrait - built by Kaleta in his signature Miniland Plus sculptural style - with an accessible, insightful biography by Dryden, a Brooklyn-based cultural journalist.
Inside this LEGO art book:
- 26 full-color LEGO portraits of Black visionaries built in natural skin tones, photographed for display
- Engaging A-Z biographies spanning music, art, literature, activism, sports, and fashion, written by cultural journalist Richard Dryden
- Featured icons include Kehinde Wiley, Marsha P. Johnson, Oprah Winfrey, Gordon Parks, Toni Morrison, Serena and Venus Williams, and Sidney Poitier
- Behind-the-build insights revealing the creative choices, part usage, textures, and colors behind each sculpture
- Built on an award-winning, museum-exhibited foundation, with the original project winning Best Artwork at Brickworld Chicago 2022 and touring as a traveling exhibit across the U.S., Mexico, and Canada
- Endorsed by cultural figures and institutions including Questlove and the Estate of Nina Simone, with coverage from EBONY, CNET, and NPR
This is not a how-to guide. It is a celebration of LEGO as a medium for portraiture and cultural storytelling, designed for display, discussion, and inspiration in homes, classrooms, libraries, and museums.
LEGO® is a trademark of the LEGO Group of companies, which does not sponsor, authorize, or endorse this book.
