The Insta account transforming Russian culture into LEGO
14 July 2021
Text:
Paula Erizanu
“Not a real product! Not for sale!” shouts the description of digital art project @oleg.legov. The Instagram account chronicles the world of fictional character Oleg Legov, and his crusade to transform Russian culture into colourful plastic bricks.
So who is Oleg Legov? Wearing a full Adidas tracksuit and a beret, with a cone of sunflower seeds in one hand and an ominous green bottle of alcohol nearby, Legov embodies the classic Russian “gopnik”.
Oleg spends his time not making images of himself, but rendering staples of Russian culture into make-believe LEGO sets: including the home of Russian fairytale villain Baba Yaga raised on chicken legs, and the spacecraft for legendary cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin.
Created by 32-year-old animator and comic illustrator Artem Bizyaev, who has been a fan of modelling LEGO sets since childhood, @oleg.legov has gathered more than 12,000 followers in a few months.
