An all-new mural was installed at the Lied Center for Performing Arts (lcoc.com), celebrating the work of local and international artists as well as the city’s namesake. Installation of the mural began on May 12 at Noon on the west side of the Lied Center near the entrance of the Johnny Carson Theater. Media members were invited to take pictures and videos of the installation process. A formal unveiling of the mural took place on May 30 as part of Give to Lincoln Day.

Based on “Lincoln” — a striking representational quilt in the publicly held collection of the International Quilt Museum (IQM) — the mural is a stylized, modern-art depiction of former President Abraham Lincoln. Measuring 20 feet tall by 15 feet wide, this mural is an exciting addition to the city’s rich history of public art.

The quilt was made by New York-based quilt artist Kimberly Soper in 2016, deriving her quilt’s design from a pop-art portrait created by artist Ihsan Ekaputra. Portraits like Ekaputra’s rendition of Lincoln are known as Wedha’s Pop Art Portraits (WPAP), named for Indonesian artist Wedha Abdul Rasyid who is credited for popularizing the style.

The mural was created around two years ago by artist and quilter McKenzie Phelps and will be installed by a team from the LUX Center for the Arts (LUX). This project is a long-term collaboration between Visit Lincoln, the LUX and the IQM. Special thanks to Ayars & Ayars for providing the equipment for the installation and to the Lied Center for their partnership.

Learn more at lcoc.com.