IT’S a race against time for graffiti artist Dan Walls who has been tasked with creating the backdrop for The Bowes Museum’s Lego exhibition.
Mr Walls, who studied fine art at Leeds University and lives in Durham, has worked with The Bowes Museum on past projects including creating a mural at Teesdale YMCA.
He said: “I have done some work with The Bowes Museum before, but it’s a first for me working in such a prestigious art gallery and museum.
“It’s like fate. I couldn’t believe it when I was asked to create the backdrop here at the same time as the Goya exhibition is going on.
“I did my dissertation on Goya so it’s great to be here, one floor below, doing what I love at the same time and I loved playing with Lego as a kid.”
Although Mr Walls has been planning the graffiti murals for several months, he was only given 12 days to transform his sketches into vibrant murals in time for the exhibition’s opening on Saturday, May 25.
The exhibition will feature 15 of the museum’s most iconic objects in Lego as well as stunning recreation of the museum itself created by Brick It’s Steve Mayes.
Alongside these models there will be a range of “creation stations” where children and those who are still young at heart can try their hands at model making.
The north, east and south walls of the galley will feature custom murals that Mr Walls has designed.
They take inspiration from some of the museum’s own artefacts as well as characters from the vast Lego collection.
Mr Walls has been mindful to also include elements in the enormous murals which pay homage to some of the hobbies of the museum’s founders, John and Josephine Bowes.
There will also be a Duplo den for younger children.
The exhibition runs until Sunday, October 13.
