Artist Mike Doyle creates incredible, eerily derelict Victorian mansions from Lego. His latest ‘Victorian on Mud Heap’ (top), used nearly 130,000 pieces and took 600 hours to complete. Sez he:

For me, this piece speaks to the inherent unpredictability of those things which we call our foundation. Like a little dollhouse, a seemingly secure home is plucked up and set on a new path. This charming home, lovingly embellished with ornamental fancy was no match for nature. The fancy embellishments serve as a reminder of our earlier focus on the material world, while the aftermath removes us from that focus. The piece offers no answers or necessarily any hope, but rather points to life’s fragility.

More pix and close-up detail here.

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Mario Rosenstock and his son Dashiell with the PPI Radio Awards Lifetime Achievement Award yesterday.

Some of his subjects were asked in today’s Irish Times for their thoughts on his work:

Vincent Browne: “I’ve mixed reactions. First of all I found it cringeworthy. Then I thought it couldn’t possible be representative of me. Later on, I realised that I actually possess some of these mannerisms that Mario acts out, much to my acute embarrassment.”

Miriam O’Callaghan: ” “I ‘genuinely’ don’t think I have ever used that word on TV or Radio. Mario does quite a lot of women in his routine; I have heard a whisper that he is trying to perfect Mary Byrne at the moment. I think there is an overactive gene in Mario that makes him not only comfortable but addicted to dressing like a lady. Genuinely!”

Glenda Gilson: “It’s great to see that a few people in this country are make money out of slagging people, especially me. Mario is always good for it, it’s great to have a laugh. For the record, I’ve never eaten a kebab, but if he wants to send me one I’ll happily try it.”

The Special One Eyes His Prize (Brian Boyd, Irish Times)

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