There’s no other way to put it: Drew Leshko’s miniatures are absolutely jaw-dropping. Carving, cutting, and layering paper and wood, his sculptures are a recreation of building facades from his neighborhood at a 1:12 scale. Miniature dumpsters sit beside a miniature ice machine in what seems like a desolated neighborhood. As such, his work examines the urban landscape, it’s transitioning, and preservation, begging questions like how historical relevance is determined and what is worth preserving in our everchanging world?
“I studied fine art in college and feel that I developed some strong composition and design skills, but honestly the way I work isn’t taught in schools,” said Leshko, talking about his artistic background in an interview with The Daily Mini. “I’ve always been interested in documentary studies in art, capturing moments in time regardless of media,” he added. “My project with the buildings in my neighborhood is just that, a documentary project or archiving project.”
Indeed, his work is meant to serve as a three-dimensional archive of buildings that are in transitional periods. Exhibited internationally and included in the permanent collection of the Urban Nation Museum (Berlin) and the Dean Collection (NYC) amongst others, it’s clear that people are tuning in.
Take a look at some of his incredible miniatures in the gallery below:
