Recreating The Past With Legos

Please check out the following links before continuing:
http://www.oddee.com/item_96540.aspx
http://www.flickr.com/photos/balakov/sets/72157602602191858/

These two artists take celebrated artwork and recreate the images using legos. The first artist Marco Pece is an italian photographer who has chosen to recreate paintings through legos and only using legos as backdrops for his images. This work recreates DaVinci's Last Supper, Grant Wood's American Gothic and other famous paintings in legos. The second artist, who has not supplied a real name on flickr, Balakov takes historical photographs and recreates the scenes using legos and other materials.

Using only legos to create historical images in many ways is a very difficult thing to do. Setting up an appropriate background and recreating the lighting and mood of the photograph or work is not easy. For example, Balakov's setup for Behind the Gare Saint-Lazare may seem like a easy work to reproduce. However, Balakov must manage lighting and recreate realistic shadows and reflections using legos.
See orignal work here.
See lego recreation here.
See setup shot here.

While these works can be created, it leaves the viewer wondering what this world would be like if we all looked the same. Facial expressions and distinct individual features also cannot be recreated. While you look at Afghan Girl (Sharbat Gula) there is a distinct tone of sadness in her face. This just simply cannot be recreated, especially with legos (see here).

While this makes for a very interesting concept, ultimately recreating any image ultimately leaves something out that the original possessed: a sense of time, place, and mood.