LEGO The Art of the Minifigure

By Brian Barrett

A beautiful visual celebration of the iconic LEGO® minifigure—its history, evolution, and status as a cultural icon.

The LEGO® minifigure is one of the most recognizable and collectible toys on the planet. Over the span of 40 years it has evolved from a simple yellow figurine to a global pop culture icon. This landmark volume celebrates the colorful history, evolving design, and lasting impact of the one and only LEGO minifigure. Driven by compelling interviews and essays, lush photography, infographics, and never-before-seen visuals from inside the LEGO archives and beyond, this book is a wide-reaching visual exploration of why the minifigure matters—as a beloved toy and as a singular cultural icon.

MUST-HAVE: The ultimate celebration of the LEGO minifigure, this book explores the minifigure from all angles.

FOR ALL LEGO FANS: This book is perfect for all LEGO fans, from avid collectors and super fans seeking new, never-before-published content, to anyone who grew up with the iconic minifigure, looking to explore the history of the toy they know and love.

GLOBAL ICON: The LEGO minifigure has captivated the world for 40 years. Connecting LEGO lovers old and young, this tiny yellow figure captures the joy at the heart of the LEGO brand.

LEGO, the LEGO logo, and the Brick and Knob configurations are trademarks of the LEGO Group. ©2022 The LEGO Group. All rights reserved.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Chronicle Books Digital
• Release date: Jun 14, 2022
• ISBN: 9781797203157

Brian Barrett

Brian Barrett is the News Editor at WIRED, where he helps guide and write daily coverage across of a variety of topics. Prior to WIRED he was the editor in chief of the tech and culture site Gizmodo and a business reporter for the Yomiuri Shimbun, Japan's largest daily newspaper. His work has also appeared in the Real Simple, Details, Country Living, New Yorker and New York magazine online, and more.

Book preview

INTRODUCTION

The LEGO® minifigure. Today, it’s a figure both instantly recognizable and infinitely adaptable. Minifigures adorn coffee mugs and pop art with equal aplomb. They star in movies and television shows. They’ve even been to outer space.

It wasn’t always like this. In the beginning, the minifigures were almost an add-on when compared to the intricate brick creations they inhabited. For years they shared the same face, torso, hands, and legs. They were model citizens in the LEGO system, but never the star of the show.

So what happened? How did the minifigure evolve into the icon we know today? The answer doesn’t fit together quite as neatly as a minifigure’s components do. The ascent came in fits and starts. But the closer you look at the minifigure’s evolution, the more compelling it becomes. LEGO® Pirates play a big part. LEGO® Star Wars™ too. Look hard enough and you’ll also find Voldemort, and ninja, and skeletons, and a big yellow book of closely guarded secrets. Oh, and Corn Cob Guy. Don’t forget Corn Cob