TWO models of Mount Panorama and Pit Straight made entirely of LEGO were unveiled at Bathurst Regional Art Gallery (BRAG) on Wednesday.
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BRAG commissioned Ryan ‘the Brickman’ McNaught, one of only 14 LEGO certified professionals in the world and the only one in the Southern Hemisphere, to build the models for a unique summer exhibit.
The models sit back-to-back in the gallery, with a pit of LEGO bricks beneath them for children to build their own models with.
A number of children tested out the interactive element to the exhibition on Wednesday morning.
BRAG director Richard Perram said children get a lot of joy out of playing with LEGO and the exhibit will keep them occupied.
The idea to commission the models for BRAG came from a similar exhibition at the Museum of Sydney celebrating the Opera House.
Mr Perram thought it would be great to see an iconic Bathurst location featured in the same way, while telling stories about the history of Mount Panorama, particularly its Wiradyuri history.
“We’ve been working with the elders and they think it’s a way of getting their story out about creation and also Mount Panorama and Wahluu,” he said.
Both models are incredibly detailed, featuring cars that have raced at the Mount over the years, the old outdoor movie screen, kangaroos, a Wiradyuri hut and spectators cooking barbecues, taking photos, eating ice-cream and even enjoying a spa.
“My favourite thing is the change in scale of the models, because you’ll have little tiny LEGO men and huge motorcars, so the change in scale is really abrupt on that and that is just an aesthetic thing I suppose,” Mr Perram said.
The LEGO exhibit will remain at BRAG until the end of January.
Entry to this exhibit is $5 per person.
The future of the models still is uncertain, but Mr Perram said the gallery is contemplating touring them.
“Mount Panorama-Wahluu is such an iconic Australian thing and we feel that, as an activity, it could go to other regional art galleries, it could go to other regional art museums, car museums,” he said.