LEGO bricks turn into pigments for modular, abstract compositions by katherine duclos

lego bricks compose works by Katherine Duclos

Artist Katherine Duclos transforms LEGO bricks into abstract compositions that encapsulate fleeting moments of transition and personal memory. Her latest work presents a series of modular works, each assembled brick by brick in response to a period of upheaval in her life.

Duclos’ affinity for LEGO as a material stems from a deeply personal moment in 2021, when her then four-year-old son—an avid LEGO builder—offered her a small arrangement of bricks, saying, ‘I thought you’d like these colors next to each other.’ Struggling with spatial orientation and traditional instructions, Duclos found an alternative approach: using the bricks as modules of color, akin to fragments of paper or pigment. Their dry, tactile quality also accommodates her sensory sensitivities, making them an ideal medium for expression.

Sometimes, the tyranny of symmetry reigns supreme (orientation 2) 15.5×15.5×2.5″, painted and pure Lego on painted Lego bases, mounted on cradled wooden panel, 2024 | all images courtesy of Katherine Duclos

the artistic process becomes a means of regulation

By arranging painted LEGO bricks into modular compositions, Katherine Duclos seeks to create a sense of control and order amidst the uncertainty. The Vancouver-based artist composed the pieces of this collection during a period while her family was moving after seven years in their rental home—a change that heightened her need for structure and control. Times of transition and upheaval are particularly difficult for autistic families, and as her home became more chaotic and the future seemed unclear, Duclos turned to her artistic process as a means of regulation.

As an autistic artist with ADHD, Duclos describes her process as a means of sensory regulation, where the act of arranging LEGO bricks by color and light reflection becomes a grounding force amid the chaos of transition. The works reflect hues and light conditions she associates with her former home, helping her navigate an uncertain future while underscoring a lifelong connection to color as an anchor. The pieces, wired for multiple hanging orientations, shift dramatically with changing light, reinforcing the ephemeral nature of memory.

Her unconventional use of LEGO caught the attention of The LEGO Group, leading to a collaboration for their Miami Art Basel pop-up, Center for Creative Flow, at the W Hotel in 2023. Over six weeks, Duclos created more than 45 square feet of abstract constructions, later housed at LEGO’s Massachusetts headquarters. A documentary titled Small Tiny Starts, released on LEGO’s YouTube channel in 2024, explores her artistic journey, the collaboration, and her family dynamic.

The fairies will find us if we leave a trail (orientation 4) 30.5×30.5×2.5″, painted and pure Lego on painted Lego bases, mounted on cradled wooden panel, 2024

Fireflies and lilacs (orientation 4) 15.5×15.5×2.5″, painted and pure Lego on painted Lego bases, mounted on cradled wooden panel, 2024

When the walls are high and the light is right, all gardens can be secret (orientation 2) 15.5×15.5×2.5″, painted and pure Lego on painted Lego bases, mounted on cradled wooden panel, 2024

When the walls are high and the light is right, all gardens can be secret (detail) 15.5×15.5×2.5″, painted and pure Lego on painted Lego bases, mounted on cradled wooden panel, 2024

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The fairies will find us if we leave a trail (detail)
30.5×30.5×2.5″, painted and pure Lego on painted Lego bases, mounted on cradled wooden panel, 2024

Temper your touch please (orientation 2) 30.5×15.5″x2.5″, painted and pure Lego on painted Lego bases, mounted on cradled wooden panel, 2024

Sometimes the asymmetry is so subtle it’s subversive (orientation 2) 15.5×15.5×2.5″, painted and pure Lego on painted Lego bases, mounted on cradled wooden panel, 2024

I will ahead of you and scaffold the light so you can always see the path forward 30.5×15.5″x2.5″, painted and pure Lego on painted Lego bases, mounted on cradled wooden panel, 2024

Let your sad light be a beacon (Raincouver) 30.5×15.5″x2.5″, painted and pure Lego on painted Lego bases, mounted on cradled wooden panel, 2024

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I will ahead of you and scaffold the light so you can always see the path forward 30.5×15.5″x2.5″, painted and pure Lego on painted Lego bases, mounted on cradled wooden panel, 2024

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Temper your touch please (detail) 30.5x15.5"x2.5", painted and pure Lego on painted Lego bases, mounted on cradled wooden panel, 2024

You can make your plans, the day will make itself (orientation 2) 15.5x15.5x2.5", painted and pure Lego on painted Lego bases, mounted on cradled wooden panel, 2024

Growing up is really a lesson in looking back (orientation 1) 15.5x15.5x2.5", painted and pure Lego on painted Lego bases, mounted on cradled wooden panel, 2024

Growing up is really a lesson in looking back (orientation 2) 15.5x15.5x2.5", painted and pure Lego on painted Lego bases, mounted on cradled wooden panel, 2024

To soften ourselves, we have to let all of our edges be touched (orientation 2) 15.5x15.5x2.5", painted and pure Lego on painted Lego bases, mounted on cradled wooden panel, 2024

In order to see all angles, you have to be willing to change your perspective (detail)

In order to see all angles, you have to be willing to change your perspective (orientation 2) 15.5x15.5x2.5", painted and pure Lego on painted Lego bases, mounted on cradled wooden panel, 2024

In order to see all angles, you have to be willing to change your perspective (orientation 3) 15.5x15.5x2.5", painted and pure Lego on painted Lego bases, mounted on cradled wooden panel, 2024

Fireflies and lilacs (orientation 3) 15.5x15.5x2.5", painted and pure Lego on painted Lego bases, mounted on cradled wooden panel, 2024

Fireflies and lilacs (orientation 2) 15.5x15.5x2.5", painted and pure Lego on painted Lego bases, mounted on cradled wooden panel, 2024

When the walls are high and the light is right, all gardens can be secret (orientation 3) 15.5x15.5x2.5", painted and pure Lego on painted Lego bases, mounted on cradled wooden panel, 2024.

Sometimes the asymmetry is so subtle it's subversive 15.5x15.5x2.5", painted and pure Lego on painted Lego bases, mounted on cradled wooden panel, 2024

detail When the walls are high and the light is right, all gardens can be secret 15.5x15.5x2.5", painted and pure Lego on painted Lego bases, mounted on cradled wooden panel, 2024

The fairies will find us if we leave a trail (detail) 30.5x30.5x2.5", painted and pure Lego on painted Lego bases, mounted on cradled wooden panel, 2024

The fairies will find us if we leave a trail (detail) 30.5x30.5x2.5", painted and pure Lego on painted Lego bases, mounted on cradled wooden panel, 2024.

The fairies will find us if we leave a trail (detail) 30.5x30.5x2.5", painted and pure Lego on painted Lego bases, mounted on cradled wooden panel, 2024

The fairies will find us if we leave a trail (orientation 3) 30.5x30.5x2.5", painted and pure Lego on painted Lego bases, mounted on cradled wooden panel, 2024