Created to celebrate Disney’s 100 Years of Wonder, the mural – created by talented artist Lakwena Maciver – is inspired by the new Lego Disney Castle set.
To celebrate the launch of the new Lego Disney Castle and honour 100 years of Disney, London based artist Lakwena Maciver has unveiled her latest artwork, Kaleidowaves, a 4.5m tall castle window inspired by the storytelling possibilities offered by the new Lego set. The Kaleidowaves mural was unveiled yesterday in London, with Lakwena’s children – Aroko aged four and Makelo aged six – placing the last of the mural’s 220,000 Lego bricks in place.
The new Lego Disney Castle is a celebration of the playful joy and creativity that the Lego Group and Disney have inspired in families around the world over the past 24 years. Since the first Lego Winnie the Pooh set was unveiled in 1999 to the hidden time capsule in the new Lego Disney Castle, the two brands have helped fans share the wonder of Disney storytelling by inspiring children (and adults) to reimagine fan-favourite moments through Lego play.
Talking about the inspiration for her mural, Lakwena referenced the Disney characters that inspired her creativity as a child, and those she sees sparking the imagination of her two sons today: “When I lived in Ethiopia as a child in the 90s, there wasn’t access to many films, so we would watch Disney videos on repeat. Later, when living in the UK, I remember visiting my uncle in the Ashdown Forest, which inspired Winnie the Pooh, and we would play Pooh Sticks on Pooh Bridge. And now, with my young family, films like The Lion King offer a nice way for me to talk to my children about our ancestral homeland. The idea of magical possibilities that Disney captures so well definitely had a big impact on my imagination as a child, and has therefore informed my adult work and life as an artist.”
Lakwena’s design is part of a series of four murals created with two other artists that were inspired by Disney as children, Paris-based Amy Jones and US-based artist Kristin Texeira. The murals feature some of their favourite Disney characters from the last 100 years including Mickey Mouse, Cinderella, Woody, Ariel, Tiana, Mirabel, Buzz Lightyear and Daisy Duck, who also now feature in Lego Disney sets, surrounded by the artists’ own unique style.
The three remaining murals will be available for families to build together at free events on 7th-9th July near the Lego Store, Paris; 14th-16th July at the Manchester Arndale and 27th-29th July at Pier 17, Seaport, New York. There is also an opportunity to create a Lego castle window online at www.lego.com/castle, or visit a local Lego Store to take part in Lego | Disney building activities (visit www.lego.com/store for more details). The four complete murals will then be displayed at Lego House in Billund from 23rd August 2023.
The new Lego Disney Castle set pays homage of the iconic castle seen at the beginning of all Disney movies. The 4,837-piece set features not only the castle itself, but also references from 14 classic Disney films over the last 100 years. The set comes complete with eight minifigures, representing some of the Disney Princess characters and their male counterparts. Inside the castle are a kitchen and dining room, a ballroom and bedroom, all with references to Disney films and characters and a secret turret means fans can discover a Disney time capsule.
The Creative Design Lead for Lego Disney, Benedikte Stamp, commented: “Over the last century, Disney has created some of the world’s greatest stories which are loved by generation after generation. Just like these stories, Lego play transcends age, language, culture and interests to inspire millions of children to build and create anything they can image. As a designer, it’s my role to bring together the magic of the two brands and give fans of all ages the chance to celebrate their love for Disney stories through building.”
