Kobe Bryant honored with mural at Historic Fourth Ward Skatepark
January 24, 2020 Atlanta: A runner passes the mural area artist, Era finished with touch ups of his Kobe Bryant and the Mamba on Tuesday. The area artist began the mural Monday at Noon and wanted to give the mural a "sculptural quality." Two Atlanta area artists, Era and Nels (not pictured) finished doing touch ups on their two separate and individually painted murals honoring the late NBA superstar Kobe Bryant on Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2020. The murals were begun on Monday along the Beltline not far from the Baby Yodas murals near the Historic Fourth Ward Skatepark. âThe City of Atlanta joins the world in mourning the loss of Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna, and all the other passengers on board. Our thoughts and prayers are with their family and friends,â officials said. JOHN SPINK/JSPINK@AJC.COM
By Raisa Habersham
Jan 28, 2020
A new mural honoring late NBA superstar Kobe Bryant has gone up near the Historic Fourth Ward Skatepark.
Atlanta city officials posted a photo of the mural, painted by the artist known as Era, on their Instagram page on Monday, adding, “The City of Atlanta joins the world in mourning the loss of Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna, and all the other passengers on board. Our thoughts and prayers are with their family and friends.”
The black and gray mural shows Bryant’s face with a snake in the background, an ode to his “Black Mamba” nickname.
Bryant, his 13-year-old daughter Gianna, and seven other passengers died Sunday in a helicopter crash near in Calabasas, California.
A local artist, Era said he began the mural on Monday at noon, the day after Bryant's death. He said he wanted to give the mural a "sculptural quality." Another Atlanta artist, Nels, also painted a separate mural of Bryant at the location along the Beltline.
Bryant, his 13-year-old daughter Gianna, and seven other passengers died Sunday in a helicopter crash near in Calabasas, California.
Onboard the helicopter with Bryant and Gianna were Orange Coast College baseball coach John Altobelli, his wife, Keri, and daughter, Alyssa; girls youth basketball coach Christina Mauser; Sarah Chester and her daughter, Payton; and pilot Ara Zobayan.
January 24, 2020 Atlanta: Era works on the finishing touches of his Kobe Bryant and the Mamba. The area artist began the mural Monday at Noon and wanted to give the mural a "sculptural quality." Two Atlanta area artists, Era and Nels (not pictured) finished doing touch ups on their two separate and individually painted murals honoring the late NBA superstar Kobe Bryant on Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2020. The murals were begun on Monday along the Beltline not far from the Baby Yodas murals near the Historic Fourth Ward Skatepark. âThe City of Atlanta joins the world in mourning the loss of Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna, and all the other passengers on board. Our thoughts and prayers are with their family and friends,â officials said. JOHN SPINK/JSPINK@AJC.COM
January 24, 2020 Atlanta: Atlanta area artist, Nels worked on the finishing touches of his Kobe Bryant mural on Tuesday. Two Atlanta area artists, Era (not pictured) and Nels finished doing touch ups on their two separate and individually painted murals honoring the late NBA superstar Kobe Bryant on Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2020. The murals were begun on Monday along the Beltline not far from the Baby Yodas murals near the Historic Fourth Ward Skatepark. âThe City of Atlanta joins the world in mourning the loss of Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna, and all the other passengers on board. Our thoughts and prayers are with their family and friends,â officials said. JOHN SPINK/JSPINK@AJC.COM
Bryant was an 18-time NBA All-Star who won five championships and became one of the greatest basketball players of his generation during a 20-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers. He retired in 2016.
Bryant, 41, is survived by his wife Vanessa and two daughters.
The cause of the crash is still under investigation.
AJC Staff Photographer John Spink contributed to this report.
