The dark side of Lego art

The book “Beautiful Lego 2: Dark,” by Mike Doyle.

The bright colors of most Lego bricks gives most Lego art a cheerful quality. But there is a dark side of Lego art, too, which Mike Doyle explores in his book, “Beautiful Lego 2: Dark,” featuring creepy bugs, gloomy buildings, menacing robots and more, all made with those versatile bricks.

The book is a sequel to Doyle’s “Beautiful Lego,” which came out last year.

“I chose this theme because it seemed to represent a great number of works already coming out of the LEGO community,” Doyle writes in the new book’s preface. “You’ll see destructive objects, like warships and mecha, and dangerous and creepy animals; there is no shortage of material.”

Doyle’s art is displayed in “Brick by Brick,” an exhibition that is at the Morris Museum in Morris Township through March 15. And he will talk about and sign copies of “Beautiful Lego 2: Dark” at the museum, Jan. 17 at 1:30 p.m.

A Tide box made with Legos, by David Haliski, is on display at the Morris Museum in Morris Township.

The exhibition also includes artists such as Blake Foster, David Haliski, and Jonathan Lopes, and features a large-scale working Lego model train, with live demonstrations every Saturday at 1:30 p.m.

There will also be a “Builders Play Day,” with various children’s activities, Jan. 19 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., and a building program led by Doyle — where participants will help build a “Micro Cityscape” that will remain on display at the museum — Jan. 24 at 11 a.m. (Registration is required.)

Call (973) 971-3706 or visit morrismuseum.org.