Yellow, Nathan Sawaya
by Nathan Sawaya
“When I was working on [this] piece titled Yellow, which depicts a figure tearing his chest open while thousands of LEGO bricks spill out, I was nearing the end of the piece, and I spent almost a full 48 hours in the studio working to complete it.” This is the most iconic sculpture by Sawaya. "So it’s cool — to be recognized for that piece all over the world. That’s become something special."-Sawaya
See
When I was in school, I recall my art history professor talking about the color yellow and how it is a relatively weak color that was first notably used by Vincent Van Gogh. 'How lovely yellow is! It stands for the sun.' - Vincent van Gogh
Sunflowers 1889
In all of his work, one color stands out above the rest: yellow. This trend is particularly notable in work created during what would later be dubbed as his "yellow period" (around 1886-1890) (Domestika)
Let’s see who else is using yellow…
900-50-80, Olga Albizu 1978
Happy by Accident/ David, 2021, Joe Suzuki
Portrait of James Baldwin, Beauford Delaney 1965
Lady in Yellow, Max Kurtzwell 1899
Say
How does each of the artists above powerfully use yellow?
Look at all of these different yellows. Which is your favorite and why?
Are there any you particularly dislike?
If yellow had a flavor, would it lean more toward Banana or Lemon? Why?
Do
Match the yellows in the paintings above with the colors in the 24 Shades of Yellow chart. Are you surprised by any matches?
Why were Post-it Notes originally yellow? Learn this and more about the color yellow.
About the Artist: Nathan Sawaya
Nathan Sawaya is an award-winning artist who creates awe-inspiring works of art out of some of the most unlikely things. His global touring exhibition, THE ART OF THE BRICK, features large-scale sculptures using only toy building blocks: LEGO® bricks to be exact. His work is obsessively and painstakingly crafted and is both beautiful and playful.
Previously a NYC corporate lawyer, Sawaya is the first artist to ever take LEGO into the art world and is the author of two best-selling books. His unique exhibition is the first of its kind to focus exclusively on LEGO as an art medium and has broken attendance records around the globe. The creations, constructed from countless individual LEGO pieces, were built from standard bricks beginning as early as 2002.
Sawaya is the recipient of numerous awards and honors, recognizing his artwork and cultural achievements. In 2014, with the belief that "art is not optional," Sawaya founded The Art Revolution Foundation to prioritize art in our schools and homes. He has been a speaker at Google Zeitgeist, TEDx, Yahoo!, and numerous universities.
Nathan Sawaya has earned a top position in the world of contemporary art and has created a new dimension by merging Pop Art and Surrealism in awe-inspiring and groundbreaking ways. His art consists of playing with the material, color, movement, light, and perspective.
For more information about Nathan Sawaya, please visit nathansawaya.com
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