Lego Man Inspires Chalk Festival Project

The artist who has been linked to the mysterious Lego man that washed up on Siesta Key will be part of a group that will create a piece inspired by the Lego man at this week's Sarasota Chalk Festival.

Planet Streetpainting, a group participating in the Chalk Festival, sent out a press release Monday saying Lego man would be part of its 3-D project. 

"Inspired by the recent and of their artist friend and fellow countryman Ego Leonard, Planet Streetpainting is going to create a staggering 30 by 40 feet 3D art piece in support of the giant Legoman who still remains in protective custody. By doing so, they hope to contribute directly to the many Free Ego campaigns that spontaneously popped-up online and offline right .

The Planet Streetpainting Team, this time consisting of Leon Keer, Ruben Poncia, Remko van Schaik and Peter Westerink, will paint a terracotta army based on the famous sculpture army of Chinese Emperor Qin Shi Huang. A rendering is shown below. As one can see there is one Ego army figure missing."

Leon Keer is member of Planet Streetpainting and has been linked by a local arts website as the man responsible for Lego man.

In an email to Patch last week, Keer denied responsibility and said he was out of the country.

However, the Pelican Press reported that Keer was indeed in town when the incident happened. According to the report, the president of the Sarasota County Convention and Visitor's Bureau, Virginia Haley, said Keer was in town.

"Since the SCVB ended up working with the Chalk Festival so it could secure a $25,000 city of Sarasota grant that Haley said the paperwork her office had received included the artists’ itineraries. Therefore, she said, she knew Keer already was in Sarasota."

While there is no definitive answer of Lego man's origins, the Sarasota County Sheriff's Office has provided an answer to its future — it will remain in custody at the sheriff's office, at least for now.

The agency was looking for a home for the 100-pound Fiberglass Lego man, but state law requires the sheriff's office to hold 'found property' for at least 90 days.

“We are going to continue to retain custody, which is what we are obligated to do under Florida statute,” said Sarah Kenniff of the sheriff's office. “If somebody comes forward and claims ownership of the statue then he could do that. To my knowledge, [however], that has not happened.”