Hi y’all!
We wanted to call your attention to a really cool exhibit happening downtown at the Arts Center of Mississippi, Keep Building Jackson!. Dr. Scott Crawford builds complex replicas of iconic Jackson landmarks out of Lego bricks. We got the chance to talk to Dr. Crawford about the inspiration behind the project! Keep reading for more on this exhibit and make sure to check it out before this year show exhibit ends on this Saturday, January 12th!
We wanted to call your attention to a really cool exhibit happening downtown at the Arts Center of Mississippi, Keep Building Jackson!. Dr. Scott Crawford builds complex replicas of iconic Jackson landmarks out of Lego bricks. We got the chance to talk to Dr. Crawford about the inspiration behind the project! Keep reading for more on this exhibit and make sure to check it out before this year show exhibit ends on this Saturday, January 12th!
{Can you tell us a little bit about the inspiration behind the Keep Building Jackson! project?}
The theme of “Keep Building Jackson!” is “Build with what you have.” Building with LEGO bricks is a metaphor for dealing with adversity. One never has all the bricks one wants, and sometimes we lose them. I do as my disease (multiple sclerosis) progresses. We’re left to rebuild with what we have left.
Another metaphor I live by is that none of us have all the “pieces” individually, to build something truly wonderful. However, COLLECTIVELY, each of us has a unique set of “blocks/pieces” that, when we work together, can produce something far greater than the sum of their parts. That’s what community is all about, and I’m hoping to inspire kids of all ages to work hard to make Jackson (or whatever community they live in) a better place. That means picking up trash, getting to know and taking care of our neighbors, taking a stand against crime and injustice, volunteering, and being involved citizens. It means recognizing our fundamental inter-dependency and collective responsibility.
{Why are legos your medium of choice?}
Legos were my favorite toy as a child. I never got bored of them because I would construct my own toys, play with them for a few weeks, then build something entirely new out of the same pieces. As an adult, I needed something non-verbal as a distraction/hobby, so I started building again.
{How long does it take to complete one building?}
For the LARGE and original pieces, roughly between four and 8 months, with six months being typical. Fondren Corner and City Hall took four months each. The Standard Life took six months to design and build. The Lamar Life took five (even though it was harder). Union Station took the longest at eight months because of the diverse elements and designs involved (less repetition). I recall Bailey APAC Middle School taking about 4-5 months or so.
I design them based on photographs I take of the real building. There’s no “auto-cad” involved…just my mind. No glue is used, the buildings hold together on their own. The larger the building, the sturdier it has to be, so I spend a lot of time building infrastructure. The project ends up being “one part art, and one part engineering."
Legos were my favorite toy as a child. I never got bored of them because I would construct my own toys, play with them for a few weeks, then build something entirely new out of the same pieces. As an adult, I needed something non-verbal as a distraction/hobby, so I started building again.
{How long does it take to complete one building?}
For the LARGE and original pieces, roughly between four and 8 months, with six months being typical. Fondren Corner and City Hall took four months each. The Standard Life took six months to design and build. The Lamar Life took five (even though it was harder). Union Station took the longest at eight months because of the diverse elements and designs involved (less repetition). I recall Bailey APAC Middle School taking about 4-5 months or so.
I design them based on photographs I take of the real building. There’s no “auto-cad” involved…just my mind. No glue is used, the buildings hold together on their own. The larger the building, the sturdier it has to be, so I spend a lot of time building infrastructure. The project ends up being “one part art, and one part engineering."
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{What do you wish more people knew about Jackson?}
Three things: First, there’s so much to do in Jackson that one needn’t ever be bored. The live entertainment, concerts, plays, art shows…one could be as busy as one wishes to be. Second…Jackson has beautiful architecture and history. I’ve noticed that people tend to appreciate that architecture more when they see it in miniature. The reaction is, “Wow, that really is a great building!” Finally, Jackson gets too much bad press about “crime and safety." People shouldn’t be afraid to come to Jackson. I’m quadriparetic (weak in all four extremities) and use a power wheelchair for mobility, ride JATRAN for transportation, spend a lot of time downtown, and feel perfectly safe.
{How has the exhibit grown since its beginnings?} The first year of the exhibit, 2009, the display only took up six tables. This year 23 tables were needed to accomodate the entire display. That’s a total of 342 square feet. Last year’s additions were two custom creations: the Lamar Life Building and the Webb Space Telescope. This year I added a roller coaster as a part of the State Fair portion of the exhibit, a custom-made rocky bluff and roadway, and a “Downtown Diner.”
For more information on Keep Building Jackson! Please visit the exhibit's Facebook page.
Three things: First, there’s so much to do in Jackson that one needn’t ever be bored. The live entertainment, concerts, plays, art shows…one could be as busy as one wishes to be. Second…Jackson has beautiful architecture and history. I’ve noticed that people tend to appreciate that architecture more when they see it in miniature. The reaction is, “Wow, that really is a great building!” Finally, Jackson gets too much bad press about “crime and safety." People shouldn’t be afraid to come to Jackson. I’m quadriparetic (weak in all four extremities) and use a power wheelchair for mobility, ride JATRAN for transportation, spend a lot of time downtown, and feel perfectly safe.
{How has the exhibit grown since its beginnings?} The first year of the exhibit, 2009, the display only took up six tables. This year 23 tables were needed to accomodate the entire display. That’s a total of 342 square feet. Last year’s additions were two custom creations: the Lamar Life Building and the Webb Space Telescope. This year I added a roller coaster as a part of the State Fair portion of the exhibit, a custom-made rocky bluff and roadway, and a “Downtown Diner.”
For more information on Keep Building Jackson! Please visit the exhibit's Facebook page.
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