Posting the news on Instagram, it wasn’t long until he had made international headlines and roused troupes of supporters across social media. Ai’s studio shared the news that Lego had refused to sell the artist a bulk order of bricks for a new installation, on the basis that the project was of a political nature. Citing their corporate policy not to “indicate their approval of any unaffiliated activities”, Lego stated their regret that they were “not in a position to support” the request to supply the bricks, which were for an installation at an upcoming exhibition in Melbourne. Offers to donate Lego quickly poured in from around the world. The artist has responded by creating a series of “collection points” – second-hand BMWs which are to be filled with the public’s pre-loved Lego. Writing on Instagram, Ai’s studio said that the artist “has decided to make a new work to defend freedom of speech and ‘political art’.” Ai Weiwei shares news of Lego's refusal on Instagram
The toy company cited their corporate policy in refusing to supply Ai Weiwei with a bulk order of bricks for an upcoming installation Today, his UK collection point is announced as the RA courtyard – joining Tree, the crowd-funded installation brought here with a successful Kickstarter campaign. This parked BMW – a second-hand 5 series sedan – follows the placement of cars at his studio in Beijing, The Martin-Gropius-Bau in Berlin and the National Gallery of Victoria in Melbourne. News of the work the Lego will be used to create, and of further collection points around the world, is to be announced in due course. The car will be in the RA courtyard from Friday 30 October until the end of November 2015. Lego donations can also be made by post to Ai Weiwei Lego Project, Lisson Gallery, 52 Bell Street, London, NW1 5BU. Ai Weiwei is in the Main Galleries from 19 September — 13 December 2015.You're not really allowed to buy specific bulk bricks as an individual, unless you have special connections with the company.
Certified LEGO Professionals (for instance) are allowed to buy in bulk from LEGO at reduced prices.You can buy lots of LEGO through the Pick-A-Brick program online, although this is prohibitively expensive, and they reserve the right to put a stop to any orders beyond a certain size (though they rarely if ever do this, since nobody I know of orders bulk this way).The other common option is buying from Pick-A-Brick in stores. This is actually reasonably cheap at LEGO retail stores, but doesn't provide much in terms of selection. At LEGOLAND theme parks the selection's better, but it's instead sold by weight, and is again pretty expensive.There is a LEGO bulk buying program for members of certain LEGO clubs, although there are a number of limitations on what you can order, when you can order it, and in what quantities. It's hardly free reign.If you're otherwise exceptional, and looking to buy (say) $100,000 worth of LEGO in one purchase, they would probably make an exception and let you buy in bulk, but I'm not sure what the bar of entry is there.
There are a few other ways to get bricks cheaply from LEGO, but they're not what I would call "buying in bulk", and you similarly need particular types of relationships with LEGO in order to get them.If you're looking for bulk LEGO, I would have to recommend Bricklink, which is an after-market selling forum for LEGO. They have a lot of different sellers, most of whom have very high quality parts, and can often sell things for reasonably cheap (occasionally even more cheaply than buying directly from LEGO!)LEGO Bricks and more £10 - £20 (3) £30 - £40 (1) LEGO Classic Large Creative Box (10698) Available for Click & Collect LEGO Classic Green Building Plate (10700) LEGO Classic Sand Building Plate (10699) LEGO Classic Bright Creative Supplement (10694) LEGO Classic Creative Supplement (10693) LEGO Classic Creative Bricks (10692)Donations were left around the world after Weiwei had a bulk order rejected by Lego.(Picture: Ben Pruchnie/Getty Images)
Lego has held up its hands and said it made a ‘mistake’ by refusing a bulk order from Ai WeiWei. The Chinese artist had requested the bricks last year to be used in an exhibition in Melbourne. But Lego had refused the order on the basis the planned exhibition was too political. Political activist Weiwei has been openly critical of the Chinese government’s stance on human rights and democracy in the past. Lego has said the rejected was a ‘mistake’. (Photo by Ben Pruchnie/Getty Images) Many of the bricks donated were non-Lego (Picture: Ben Pruchnie/Getty Images) When his order was rejected he was donated bricks at ‘Lego collection points around the world, although many were ‘non-Lego’. Vice-Chairman Kirk Kristiansen told The Wall Street Journal that an employee had misinterpreted its policy on political neutrality calling it an ‘internal mistake’ He said Lego’s board was not involved in the decision, adding it was made ‘very low in the organisation by our consumer service department’.