Since their introduction in 1949, LEGO bricks have been used in countless imaginative ways, far beyond their original purpose. Mexican artist Gerardo Pontiérr is one person who takes these colorful plastic pieces and turns them into something extraordinary. He recreates famous paintings and portraits as 3D, pixel-like artworks made from thousands of LEGO pieces.
Pontiérr uses LEGO much like a 20th-century Pointillism artist used paint—only here, each tiny daub of color is a single, meticulously placed brick. Up close, the individual LEGO bricks appear as simple blocks of color, and the image may seem abstract. But as you step back, the full picture comes into focus, with each brick acting like a pixel in a digital image, blending with the others to form detailed, cohesive artwork.
Pontiérr’s 3D artworks are striking from every angle. Viewed from the side, the varying heights of the LEGO “pixels” resemble a densely packed cityscape, adding depth and dimension to the work. The artist even includes thoughtful details in each piece, like in his portrait of Vincent van Gogh, where miniature LEGO renditions of Starry Night and Sunflowers are subtly tucked into the 3D mosaic.
“After more than 30 years of playing, I’m still captivated time and again by how each piece can become anything,” Pontiérr tells My Modern Met. “Today, I understand LEGO as a three-dimensional visual language—a wordless idiom practiced around the world that speaks to both children and adults through its geometry, colors, and endless possibilities.” The artist adds, “It’s a material where precision, imagination, and freedom come together to create worlds at your fingertips.”
Check out the artist’s incredible LEGO art below and follow Gerardo Pontiérr on Instagram.
Mexican artist Gerardo Pontiérr recreates famous paintings and portraits from thousands of LEGO pieces.
He uses LEGO much like a 20th-century Pointillism artist used paint—only here, each tiny daub of color is a single, meticulously placed brick.
Each LEGO block acts like a pixel in a digital image, blending with the others to form detailed, cohesive artwork.
Viewed from the side, the varying heights of these LEGO “pixels” resemble a densely packed cityscape, adding depth and dimension to the piece.
Watch how the artist creates his amazingly detailed work.
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Gerardo Pontiérr: Instagram
My Modern Met granted permission to feature photos by Gerardo Pontiérr.
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