How LEGO Became the World's Most Powerful Art Medium

A Salon article argues that LEGO has become the world's most powerful art medium, citing its use in political propaganda, contemporary art, and activism. The piece highlights Iranian group Explosive Media's AI-generated LEGO-style memes targeting Donald Trump, Benjamin Netanyahu, and Pete Hegseth, set to hip-hop tracks, which went viral during the U.S.-Israeli attack on Iran. The memes capitalize on Millennial and Gen Z nostalgia and LEGO's global recognition as a 'world language.' The article contrasts this with artists like Ai Weiwei, whose LEGO works include 'The Cover Page of The Mueller Report' (exhibited at Seattle Art Museum in 2025), and Ekow Nimako, who creates Afro-futuristic sculptures such as 'Kumbi Saleh 3020 CE.' It notes LEGO's past censorship: in 2015, the company refused to sell bricks to Ai Weiwei for political art, later reversing policy; in 1996, Polish artist Zbigniew Libera created 'LEGO Concentration Camp' using donated bricks. The article also mentions The Strokes' Coachella performance where Julian Casablancas praised the Iran LEGO videos but said YouTube removed them. Explosive Media claims independence from Iran but says the regime is a customer. The piece concludes that while the memes contain disinformation, they reflect anti-Trump sentiment and the power of LEGO as an egalitarian medium.