Small Is Beautiful (NYC Exhibition)

A big exhibition has opened in a small way! Located in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of New York City, Small Is Beautiful features all things miniature! From Lego dioramas to pencil carving art, over 130 pieces are on display by 32 artists from around the world. And just as its name suggests, visitors will get a glimpse of how a grand spectacle isn’t needed to see the beauty in life.

Pieces that appeared seemingly simple were often displayed with the artist’s explanation. For instance, “Tug of War” (above) was a commentary on the “war between the controlling elite and the average person”. Other pieces were much more abstract, left up to the spectator’s interpretation:

Small Is Beautiful has everything you’d enjoy at any other museum: an audio guide, a scavenger hunt, children’s workshops, and even a *small* gift store! But the behind-the-scenes video shown near the end of the exhibit was particularly exciting because it offered a sneak peek at how some of the exclusive art on display was created. It was eye-opening, educational, and oftentimes humorous!

But more than a museum of miniature models, this exhibition also includes ways in which we can find beauty even in the smallest moments, such as catching light passing through a glass cup:

In addition to the models, dioramas, and sculptures, you’ll find walls & walls filled with gallery style photographs of similar pieces that weren’t physically on display, as well as accompanying photos of a handful of harder-to-see pieces which helped to get a closer look!

You won’t want to miss the witty titles on the placards that also tell you the year, artist name, and scale of the miniature (anywhere from 1:12 to 1:200)! Snap a picture so you won’t miss any of the details, on top of all of the picture-worthy mini art. You’ll even come across some pieces that are so small that a magnifying glass or microscope will be required to see all of the nuances!

You won’t want to miss Small Is Beautiful while it’s still in Manhattan! Check out our TikTok for a quick peek, as well as the photos in our gallery for more. But you’ll need to step foot inside this huge miniature exhibition to fully experience it for yourself!