Creator of Downtown Disney’s ‘Black Panther’ mural reflects on its impact
The mural commemorating the life and death of Chadwick Boseman, known for his portrayal of character King T’Challa in the 2018 film “Black Panther,” was visible from the streets of Downtown Disney from Sept. 24 to Feb. 28. DANIEL PEARSON, Staff Photographer
Michael Estes was speechless as he pulled away the curtain.
He was originally invited to help unveil a large “Black Panther” mural at Downtown Disney Sept. 24 as part of PULSE, Disney’s Business Employee Resource group for Black and African American cast members. And five months later, Estes is still in awe when he thinks back to that moment, seeing the tight-lipped smile and graceful confidence of the late Chadwick Boseman displayed on a large canvas, a whole wall, for everyone to view.
“That’s the biggest picture of a Black person I’ve ever seen in Orange County,” Estes said.
The mural was originally designed in Adobe Photoshop by artist Nikkolas Smith after Boseman’s Aug. 28 death from colon cancer. Displaying Boseman kneeling and performing the “Wakanda Forever” salute to a child in a hospital gown wearing a “Black Panther” mask, the mural was taken down Feb. 28 after being extended to stay up through the duration of Black History Month. Yet the image has certainly made its mark on the minds of some who have walked past it.
“It’s heartwarming,” said Caroline Garcia, a Downtown Disney visitor, while viewing the mural Feb. 22. “To think of the strength of the ‘Black Panther’ that this little kid sees in this man … Even more than unity, it’s selflessness. This guy was already going through his own things, and he put his own stuff aside and was able to be there for somebody else.”
Boseman won a posthumous Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Motion Picture in Drama Feb. 28 at the 78th Golden Globes for his work in Netflix’s “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.” His widow, Taylor Simone Ledward, accepted the award on his behalf, shedding a few tears.
Smith met Boseman for the first time on the set of 2018’s “Black Panther,” after takes of a scene in which Boseman’s character King T’Challa was facing the threat of death. Boseman walked over and shook hands with Smith, a concept artist and former Disney theme park designer. The actor could have been any other person on set, Smith marvelled at the time, impressed by Boseman’s down-to-earth demeanor.
Smith, and perhaps those around him that day on set, had no idea Boseman himself was in that very moment facing his impending battle with cancer.
“It was a lot, I’m sure, that was on his mind and on his shoulders at the time,” Smith said. “And he was just so graceful in all of it.”
Smith, formerly a Disney Imagineer, had worked in the past in children’s hospitals as part of an initiative to ease stress for young patients, who would occasionally get to meet costumed versions of their beloved on-screen superheroes. Eventually, trying to preserve Boseman’s spirit of “wanting to lift people up,” as he said, Smith drew on that experience in creating the mural — symbolizing the moment in which the child met their heroes for the first time. It particularly made sense as a concept, Smith said, given that the child in the artwork could have been experiencing the very same struggle their hero, Boseman, was going through.
“I (had) so many moms of cancer patients reach out to say that I had painted their son or that’s exactly their kid, going through the same struggle that Chadwick was going through,” Smith said. “That was pretty emotional.”
“I (had) so many moms of cancer patients reach out to say that I had painted their son or that’s exactly their kid, going through the same struggle that Chadwick was going through. That was pretty emotional.”
Smith originally posted the work Aug. 29 on his social media and online store after a process of creation that took approximately four hours, he said. He announced a portion of the proceeds will be donated to the Children’s Hospital Los Angeles and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. However, it quickly went viral — amassing over 138,000 likes as of Feb. 28 — and Smith soon got an email from a team at Disney California Adventure, who wanted to see if he could enhance the size of the work to put on the walls of Downtown Disney.
The Panther visited the site the afternoon of Feb. 22. Despite being on display for five months, the mural hadn’t seemed to have lost any appeal.
Couples wearing Mickey Mouse headbands stopped to gaze at the artwork. Others snapped pictures from afar. Young children scampered up to its base, peering up at Boseman’s canvassed smile, turning around for a photo taken by parents and crossing their arms over their chest to mimic the “Wakanda Forever” salute.
Vanessa Crocini, Smith’s manager, told The Panther that the mural was intended to come down after December 2020, but was extended to stay up through the end of Black History Month. Smith was appreciative of the extension and visited the mural one last time Feb. 27 before it’s removal.
The first time Smith went to visit it, he said it felt like a “full-circle moment.” He’d originally stepped away from his role as a Disney Imagineer to become a full-time artist and illustrator; now, crowds were fawning over his tribute almost as if it was another ride at the theme park.
“It’s one of the most priceless things to see little kids going up to something that you’ve created and interacting with it with so much joy,” Smith said. “It was a beautiful thing.”