Art of the Brick: Nathan Sawaya’s LEGO Solo Show in New York.

If you happen to be in New York this weekend stop by Art of the Brick, the upcoming solo show by artist Nathan Sawaya at the Discovery Times Square museum. The collection of LEGO sculptures is being billed as “the world’s biggest and most elaborate display of LEGO art ever and will feature brand-new, never-before-seen pieces by Sawaya.” The show opens tomorrow and runs through January 5th, 2014.

Side note: Sawaya is trying to get enough votes over on LEGO CUUSSOO to have one of his orignal artworks turned into an actual LEGO set. All imagery above courtesy Discovery Times Square. (via laughing squid)

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Tugboat Printshop Carves and Prints “The Moon”

Back in December Paul Roden and Valerie Lueth over at Tugboat Printshop shared a tantalizing peek at their largest hand-carved relief print ever, The Moon. The print is finally complete and it’s gorgeous. The illustration of the moon was first drawn with a pen onto a piece of 3/4″ birch plywood incorporating various topographical features of the actual moon. After that was carved the stars were carved into the sky on the same piece of wood, but the moon was then cut out with a jigsaw prior to printing.

If you’re interested, the duo published the process of how everything came together over on their website, and 200 copies of the limited edition print are now shipping. Next up:Desert Island.

Book Paintings by Ekaterina Panikanova

© Ekaterina Panikanova

© Ekaterina Panikanova, courtesy z2o Galleria

© Ekaterina Panikanova, courtesy z2o Galleria

© Ekaterina Panikanova, courtesy z2o Galleria

© Ekaterina Panikanova

© Ekaterina Panikanova

© Ekaterina Panikanova, courtesy z2o Galleria

© Ekaterina Panikanova, courtesy z2o Galleria

© Ekaterina Panikanova, courtesy z2o Galleria

Artist Ekaterina Panikanova creates densely layered paintings across large spreads of old books and other documents, resulting in artwork that blurs the lines between painting, installation and collage. Born in St. Petersburg in 1975 Panikanova graduated at the top of her class from the Academy of Fine Arts and was subsequently given a studio to work from for five years. She now lives and works in Rome. Much of what you see above was from her second ever solo show Un, due, tre, fuoco at z2o Galleria earlier this year, and if you’d like to see more, check out her website. (via this isn’t happiness)

Chinese Propaganda Posters

John Foster


Bloomsbury Auctions in London held an auction last week of vintage Chinese propaganda posters, largely from the 1950s and 60s. In the heyday of what was then called Red China by the West, millions of these were placed in shop windows and factory walls throughout the mainland — all designed to spread fear of U.S. Imperialism and promote the ideals of Communism. Though propaganda in China today is spread via the mouthpieces of state-run radio and television news — or highly-censored news from other countries, some internet access and robust activity with social media give the people at least a chance for balanced understanding of the world.



Gu Yuan Smash Imperialist Invasion and March Forward for the building of Our Peaceful, Happy Life
770 x 530 mm, by Gu Yuan, People's Pictorial [Beijing], 1951.


Chao Yu Resist US and Support Korea to Defend Hometown and Motherland
The edition was 10,000, 770 x 530 mm, by Chao Yu, People's Fine Art Publishing House [Beijing], 1951.


Bi Cheng Defend our Motherland and our Hometown
770 x 530 mm, by Bi Cheng, People's Fine Art Publishing House [Beijing], 1951.


Gu Yuan I am a hero of both fighting and labor
770 x 530 mm, by Gu Yuan, People's Pictorial [Beijing], 1951.


Suzhou artists' association Young students should join the military training class to strengthen the national defence
770 x 530 mm, by Suzhou artists' association, Suzhou Committee of defending world peace and resisting the US imperialist invasion, 1951.


Resist US and Support Korea to Save Neighbors and Ourselves
770 x 530 mm, Chinese People Defending World Peace and Against US Aggression Association, East China General Branch, 1951.


Gu Yuan US invaders must be defeated
770 x 530 mm, with archive stamp from previous owner, by Gu Yuan, People's Fine Art Publishing House [Beijing], 1951.


Gao Junxian Great International Love and Endless Hatred
770 x 530 mm, by Gao Junxian, People's Fine Art Publishing House [Beijing], 1951.


Li Mubai Zhang Jihui, the air force hero of the Korean kids
770 x 530 mm, by Li Mubai, Shanghai Pictorial Publishing House [Shanghai], 1951.


Suzhou artists' association Resist US and support Korea to defend the motherland and family
400 x 530 mm, by Suzhou artists' association, Suzhou Committee of defending world peace and resisting the US imperialist invasion, 1951.


Ye Wenxi Anti-American Empire to aim Japan
530 x 380 mm, original drawing by Ye Wenxi, 1951.


Zhang Ding, Wu Guanchong Long Live the Victory of the Korean People's Army and the Chinese People's Army
530 x 770 mm, by Zhang Ding, Wu Guanchong, People's Fine Art Publishing House [Beijing], 1951.


Ye Shanmou Smash the US imperialist germ war with anti-bio shots for everyone
770 x 530 mm, by Ye Shanmou, People's Fine Art Publishing House [Beijing], 1952.


Miao Su Wipe out fire to save peace
770 x 530 mm, by Miao Su, People's Fine Art Publishing House [Beijing], 1952.


Zhang Biwu Vice Chairman Song and Young Pioneers
770 x 530 mm, by Zhang Biwu, Tianjin People's Art Publishing House, 1963.


Cai Zhenhua With the help of the Soviet Union, we will do our best to realize the modernisation of motherland
770 x 530 mm, by Cai Zhenhua, East China People's Fine Art Publishing House [Shanghai], 1953.


Zhao Yannian Developing More Production can Wipe Out One More Enemy
770 x 530 mm, by Cao Yinian, East China People's Fine Art Publishing House [Shanghai], 1953.


Tao Mouji Save Taiwan Compatriots
770 x 530 mm, by Tao Mouji, East China People's Fine Art Publishing House [Shanghai], 1954.


Weng Yizhi Salute to, and learn from the work models
770 x 530 mm, by Weng Yizhi, Shanghai People's Fine Art Publishing House [Shanghai], 1955.


Oppose the US for interfering with our national affairs
770 x 530 mm, People's Fine Art Publishing House [Beijing], 1958.


Shao Jingkun, Zhao Yu Oppose Warfare
The edition was 10,000, 770 x 530 mm, by Shao Jingkun, Zhao Yu, People's Fine Art Publishing House [Beijing], 1958.


Xing Chen, Shen Lin American Aggressors are Sure to Hang Themselves
770 x 530 mm, with archive stamp from previous owner, by Xing Chen, Shen Lin, Shanghai People's Fine Art Publishing House [Shanghai], 1958.


East Wind Prevails over West Wind
770 x 530 mm, Central Arts and Handcrafts Institute, 1958.


Yang Xianrang Long live the brother friendship of China and Soviet Union
The edition was 19,000, 530 x 770 mm, by Yang Xianrang, People's Fine Art Publishing House [Beijing], 1959.


Wu Yun Form the possible united front in order to win the war against Imperialism
The edition was 6,000, 770 x 530 mm, by Wu Yung, People's Fine Art Publishing House [Beijing], 1960.