While the world has somewhat moved on from mourning the loss of the legendary Chadwick Boseman, Disney has just unveiled a stunning new mural dedicated to the late icon. Painted in Disneyland’s Downtown shopping district in Anaheim, the tribute was created by artist Nikkolas Smith. Smith, a native of Houston, Texas, is known for designing theme parks at Walt Disney Imagineering for over a decade. Now a concept artist, children’s books author, and film illustrator, this new work by the artist reveals the breadth of his talent.
In a post shared via Instagram, the team at the Walt Disney Imagineering center said that the art installation titled “King Chad,” pays tribute to Black Panther star Chadwick Boseman. “As a former Disney Imagineer, I had the honor of working on a major children’s hospital initiative and Avengers Campus as my final two assignments. Seeing Chadwick’s heart for people in-person, and later discovering his courageous battle with cancer, I was inspired to create this tribute to honor his life and legacy. To us, he was and will always be T’Challa. Long Live The King.”
The mural depicts Boseman giving a child the Wakanda salute, paying tribute to the legacy left behind by the giant and an ode to the importance of future generations in keeping the memories of the greats alive. The child in the mural is wearing a hospital gown and a Black Panther mask, a nod to Boseman’s dedication to spending time with terminally ill children while filming the Marvel Comics film. At the time, no one knew that he himself was privately battling colon cancer.
Speaking to the LA Times, Smith shares: “This one is special. My King Chad tribute is now on a wall on display at Downtown Disney. It is a full-circle moment for me: my final two projects as a Disney Imagineer last summer were working on the Children’s Hospital project and the Avengers Campus. To millions of kids, T’Challa was a legend larger than life, and there was no one more worthy to fill those shoes than Chadwick Boseman. I’m so thankful to be able to honor Chadwick’s life and purpose in this way.”
Photo via Nikkolas Smith
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