LEGO artist sparks inspiration at Sunset Heights PS

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  Ekow Nimako with a Sunset Heights Public School student
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  Sunset Heights Public School students listening to Ekow Nimako's story

Students at Sunset Heights Public School in Oshawa were excited to meet Ekow Nimako, an artist who creates incredible works using all black LEGO pieces.

In a gym full of eager Grade 3 to 8 students, Nimako shared his experiences as a Ghanaian-Canadian growing up in a predominantly white area of London, Ontario. This is where he first noticed that he didn’t see himself reflected in the neighbourhoods, media, and art around him.

His experience, paired with his love of LEGO, gave him the tools to create beautiful Afro-Futurist LEGO sculptures. “With LEGO, you can build any world you want, especially an inclusive one,” he told students.

Nimako explained Afro-Futurist means his works embodies a futuristic narrative focused on Black identities.

Nimako currently has four main artwork collections titled Building Black Mythos, Building Black Civilizations, Building Black Graphica, and Building Black Amorphia.

On the importance of highlighting Black culture, history, and identities, Nimako expressed, “The world is a big place, and it limits the imagination to only learn about myths and civilizations that reflect one part of the world, or one cultural group. We've all heard the amazing tales of the Greek pantheon. But what about the plethora of Hindu deities? What about the mythology of the Akan, and the first university in the world in Timbuktu? Black students in particular benefit from engagement with my work because it affirms their identity, past, and future in a very positive, tangible way.”

After the presentation, Nimako answered students’ questions and students lined up to get his autograph. His words of wisdom for students interested in a career in LEGO art were simple: “Keep building, push your material abilities to the limits, and remember you must be an artist first and a LEGO builder second.”

Reflecting on why he shares his story with young people, Nimako said, “When I was in school, I rarely got the opportunity to learn about and meet diverse storytellers. I think it is critical for young people to be exposed to as many conduits of inspiration as possible. One of the best ways to do that is to ensure the people inspiring them come from varied cultural backgrounds. I think that much contemporary art lacks appeal for very young audiences, while the aesthetics and message of my artwork is clear: Rebuild the world.”

To find out more about Ekow Nimako and where you can find his artwork displayed, visit ekownimako.com.