Long live the king. A new mural paying tribute to Chadwick Boseman and the spirit of Black Panther is now on display at Downtown Disney. Artist Nikkolas Smith posted the unveiling of his artwork on Instagram and stated why this project in particular was so important to him.
Nikkolas Smith "King Chad" via Instagram
What’s Happening:
- Earlier today, Downtown Disney unveiled a large mural on the west end of the district by the former home of ESPN Zone.
- This new installation features artwork by former Disney Imagineer Nikkolas Smith and it’s his tribute to the late legend Chadwick Boseman.
- Titled “King Chad,” the wall size display shows Boseman dressed as T’Challa from Black Panther kneeling down to engage with a child. The youth is bald, dressed in a hospital gown, and wearing an ID bracelet on their wrist. They’re also wearing a Black Panther mask. Both Boseman and the child are saluting each other with arms crossed over their chests…Wakanda Forever.
- Smith shared a post of the unveiling on his Instagram explaining how special it was to have this particular work on display.
- He also revealed that when he was an imagineer, he worked on the Children’s Hospital project and on the soon to open Avengers Campus.
- After a very private battle with colon cancer, Boseman passed away on August 28th at the age of 43. Even while fighting for his own life, Boseman would visit children’s hospitals where he’d offer support and encouragement to others who had no idea they shared the same struggle.
Nikkolas Smith "King Chad" via Instagram
What he’s saying:
- Nikkolas Smith: “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. I am grateful to the Disney family for being so supportive of my journey as an artist.”
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