A mine worker spent five months building an unusual and moving tribute to Australia’s Anzac heroes – an 18,000-piece Lego sculpture.
Ben McCullock, 43, built the imposing two-metre-high statue at his home in Maida Vale, Perth, and completed it in time for Anzac Day.
The impressive work reproduces an Anzac memorial statue with a soldier standing in a field of red poppies in front of a white cross that reads ‘lest we forget’.
“I built it to show respect and admiration for service personnel who are serving, have served or fallen,” Mr McCullock, who drives cranes in mines in Western Australia’s Pilbara region, told WhatsNew2Day Australia.
“I wasn’t able to join the military when I was younger, but honoring those who can serve is very important.”
A Western Australian man has spent five months building an unusual and moving tribute to Australia’s Anzac heroes – an 18,000-piece Lego sculpture.
The talented Lego enthusiast, who has been creating large-scale works of art for more than a decade, started with “a rough model” on his laptop and made a few adjustments suggested by his friends.
Although he did most of the work himself, his family provided some help: his daughter built the poppies and his son helped make the base.
He added that his “wife is very supportive of my passion.”
‘This was one of the most fun and challenging builds I have ever done, as I do not glue or use internal steel structures in my designs.
“I have to build a Lego tech inside for strength, the base and legs are solid Lego and weigh quite a bit and the top has a hollow/honeycomb design to keep the weight down.”
Although he did most of the work himself, his family helped him with the impressive work of art: his daughter built the poppies and his son helped make the base.
It’s all designed to be taken apart for transport, so maybe people will be able to see it in person at some point.
“It has been an honor to be able to build and present this for others to enjoy and open up conversations with each other as a topic of conversation, as some friends (who are) ex-military struggle to open up in civilian life.” Mr. McCullock said.
His tribute to Anzac has proven very popular with those who have seen him in his Facebook page.
‘Absolutely amazing. We will remember them,” wrote one commenter.
‘Impressive build, wonderful respect shown, you should be really proud of this one!’ said another.
And echoing Mr McCullock’s hope for what his statue would achieve, another person wrote: “I hope everyone enjoys the construction and starts conversations with people everywhere as sometimes people need to open up and talk to break the ice”.