Zbigniew Libera Reflects on Career Impact of Lego Concentration Camp Work in ARTMargins Interview

In May 2006, an interview featuring Polish artist Zbigniew Libera was published by ARTMargins Online, conducted by Hedvig Turai. The discussion revolved around his provocative 1996 piece "Lego Concentration Camp," which illustrates scenes from concentration camps through altered Lego sets. Libera remarked that this artwork marked a pivotal moment in his career, garnering him global attention while also imposing significant pressure for his subsequent projects. He elaborated on the daunting expectations that arose from this piece, complicating his artistic journey. This interview was part of a series by ARTMargins Online that explored contemporary art from Central and Eastern Europe, with Libera's work critiquing Poland's painful history and addressing themes of social control, media influence, and the sanitization of traumatic events in popular culture.