Evento
The exhibition À escala da imaginação (Scale of Imagination) by Pedro Alexandre (Check his Instagram here!), currently on display in Ílhavo, takes LEGO beyond traditional builds and turns it into the centerpiece of a unique artistic experience.
The artist uses LEGO minifigures as the protagonists of his photographs, but every single backdrop is handcrafted, from small props to large background elements, each detail is built manually to bring the scenes to life.
The images explore a variety of themes: childhood fairy tales, iconic movies, TV series, and even everyday moments. The result is a body of work that blends nostalgia, imagination, and technique, transforming simple LEGO figures into characters placed within rich, expressive worlds.
Visitors quickly notice the attention to framing, lighting, and scenery design, which transport them into different stories with each photograph. Scale of Imagination is a powerful reminder of how creativity and dedication can transform toys into art.
I recently visited the exhibition Scale of Imagination in Ílhavo and was genuinely impressed by how the artist transformed LEGO minifigures into characters of such diverse stories.
What stood out the most is that, while LEGO figures are the stars, all the scenery is handmade by the artist himself. This gives the photographs a unique identity, with realistic settings and details that expand the storytelling of each image. My wife joined me on the visit, and she was just as fascinated by this clever mix of simplicity and imagination.
The themes range from childhood fairy tales to movies and series, but also capture scenes from everyday life. This variety makes the exhibition dynamic, every frame sparks a different reaction, sometimes nostalgic, sometimes surprising.
I especially loved how some of the handcrafted props were displayed in the space, allowing visitors to understand the creative process behind the photographs. It felt like getting a behind-the-scenes look at each artwork.
Of course, the space still has room to grow: some darker corners didn’t fully showcase the details of certain photos, and the wide room would shine even more with additional pieces to fill it out. That said, I believe this is only the beginning, the artist will surely need larger venues in the future to display all his work.
Overall, I left the exhibition feeling inspired, convinced that this is not just for LEGO fans, but for anyone who appreciates creativity, detail, and powerful visual storytelling.
