CHALLENGE ACCEPTED The Vincent family became an Instagram

Challenge accepted

The Vincent family from Cooma, NSW, became an Instagram sensation when they recreated Jackson Pollock’s Blue poles in LEGO as part of the #BetweenArtandQuarantine challenge.

Jackson Pollock Blue poles 1952, oil, enamel, aluminium paint, glass on canvas, purchased 1973 *© Pollock-Krasner Foundation

Join the challenge: @nationalgalleryaus

Karen Vincent at home with sons Noah, 10, and Tobey, 7, and dog Bonnie.

How long have your family been members of the NGA?

I’ve been a member for most of my life. My father first bought me a membership when I was a teenager when he realised that I had a strong interest in the arts. The boys and I have had a family membership for the last couple of years, but I’ve been bringing them since they were babies.

What is your favourite work in the national collection?

I have a soft spot for early Australian art. John Glover is a favourite, any of the Heidelberg School artists, Margaret Preston and Thea Proctor. The boys love James Turrell’s Skyspace. And we all like spending time in the Sculpture Garden and having a hot chocolate in the café.

Why did you choose to recreate Blue poles with LEGO?

I’d seen a couple of other people overseas using LEGO as a medium for recreating abstract and contemporary works. The boys are both LEGO fanatics and we have A LOT of LEGO! I knew we’d have to utilise such an impressive collection somehow and it seemed like an inventive way to capture the chaotic and iconic paint splatters.

Talk us through the process, who was involved and how long did it take?

Noah and I sorted through our LEGO collection and found the pieces that matched the colour scheme and Tobey made the poles. It took about 45 minutes to find the pieces and build the poles, 20 seconds to tip it out onto the floor, à la Jackson Pollock, 30 seconds for Tobey to arrange his poles on top and a few minutes to snap a couple of photos. Then the recreation was scooped back up and returned to our LEGO collection.

How has art helped you during the pandemic lockdown?

Art has kept us motivated during this time. We’ve been inspired to revisit old favourites and to learn about new works. It has given us all a rare opportunity to visit our bookcase full of art books and meander through the pages looking for our next project. We’ve posted our recreations online (Facebook and Instagram) and kept our friends and family entertained.

The #BetweenArtandQuarantine social media challenge began as a way to engage audiences at home with global art institutions during lockdown. The results took on a life of their own.

Here are the rules: 1. Choose your favourite artwork from the Collection. 2. Find three things lying around your house. 3. Recreate the painting with these attributes.

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All works of art National Gallery of Australia, Canberra 1. Antony Gormley, Angel of the North 1966, cast iron, Gift of James and Jacqui Erskine 2009 © the artist; as interpreted by Leonie Andrews 4. Joan Miró, Paysage [Lansdcape] 1927, oil on canvas, purchased 1983 *© Successió Miró; as interpreted by Kirsty Young 5

2. Grace Crowley, Absract painting 1947, oil on cardboard, purchased 1959; as interpreted by Sarah Earle © The Estate of Grace Crowley 5. Sidney Nolan, Ned Kelly 1946 (detail), enamel paint on composition board, gift of Sunday Reed 1977 © National Gallery of Australia; as interpreted by Emmy and Phoebe Yager 6

3. Audrey Flack, Jolie madame [Pretty woman] 1973, oil on canvas, purchased 1978 © Audrey Flack; as interpreted by Karen and John Macdonald 6. Bert Flugelman, Cones 1982, polished stainless steel, commissioned 1976, purchased 1982 *© Bert Flugelman; as interpreted byJosie Borgia