Original article at: “Muhammad Ali – Heavyweight Ideals” Mural in Louisville, Kentucky – Obey Giant
The crew and I just returned from Louisville, KY where we painted a 7 story mural of one of my heroes and a son of Louisville, Muhammad Ali. Ali was an incredible athlete who was dazzling in the ring, a glorious showman athletically and verbally, and resilient in the face of defeat, earning the heavyweight title 3 times. However, in this mural, based on an incredible photo by Howard Bingham provided by his son Dustin (@dusbing), I wanted to emphasize Ali’s role as an outspoken citizen and activist. Ali was a civil rights activist, a conscientious objector to the the Vietnam war, a philanthropist, and a U.N. Messenger of Peace. I admire that Ali stood up for what he believed even when he potentially faced jail and the end of his boxing career. The Chestnut St. YMCA (@chestnutstreetymca) where we painted the mural is blocks from Ali’s childhood school and a place he frequented in his youth. I’m very grateful to the YMCA for providing an incredible wall with an authentic connection to Ali’s life. A project of this magnitude can’t come to fruition without a lot of people to collaborating generously. My friend of 25 years, Eddie Donaldson of Guerilla One (@guerillaone) led the charge on bringing this project together, as well as the Outside Influence art show to benefit Artists for Trauma. Eddie pulled together an amazing coalition of supporters including the Mayor, Danny Wimmer Presents, Kroger, and many others (Instagram tags mentioned below).
Rumble In The Jungle
M+B is pleased to present Howard L. Bingham, The Rumble in the Jungle, a commemorative exhibition part of the gallery’s on going twentieth anniversary online exhibition series. Featuring newly produced estate prints, the exhibition revisits one of the most storied moments in twentieth-century cultural history, Muhammad Ali’s triumphant 1974 bout against George Foreman in Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of the Congo). Rendered in vivid color, these photographs capture Ali’s charisma and complexity as he navigated the eight-week odyssey that culminated in the legendary heavyweight championship known as The Rumble in the Jungle. Bingham Ali’s longtime confidant and chronicler, moves fluidly between the spectacle and the intimate, tracing the boxer’s presence from the ring to the streets, from jubilant public appearances to moments of quiet reflection. The exhibition is viewable online at https://www.mbart.com/ Please inquire for availability.
