Walking into the Sydney studio of Australian ‘Lego Classicist,’ Pop-Artist and Historical Archivist, Liam D. Jensen, is like stepping into an exciting alternate universe.
To my right, is a shelf filled with family photos, historical books and artworks of ancient ruins. To my left, is an entire wall dedicated to Liam’s custom-designed LEGO figures including three related to the Greek Revolution – General Theodoros Kolokotronis, Alexandros Mavrokordatos and Lord Byron.
Standing amongst it all is Liam himself with a huge smile, welcoming handshake and kind offer of Greek shortbread if I ever get hungry during our interview.
The Australian Lego Classicist’s strong connection to Greece:
My first contact with Liam was back in March 2021 when he was asked by the Director of The British School at Athens, Professor John Bennett, to create one-off LEGO figures of Kolokotronis, Mavrokordatos and Lord Byron to mark the Greek Revolution bicentenary.
This year though, Liam says he wanted to make his Greek Revolution collection more ‘equal and inclusive’ and so decided to immortalise three Greek heroines in LEGO as well.
They are: Greek naval commander Laskarina Bouboulina, Greek patriot and commander Manto Mavrogenous, and the lesser-known ‘Bouboulina of Thrace’ Domna Visvizi.
