Client: Niagara Falls Underground Railroad Museum

Overview

This project is dedicated to Niagara Falls boxer Calvin ‘Pop’ Porter. Porter was a member of the American Olympic team which boycotted the 1980 Olympics in Moscow before he turned pro in 82′. He fought 13 times as a professional, retiring with a 10-3 record including 7 KO victories. Porter may never have worn the light-middleweight title belt, but he will always be a champion in the eyes of his family and the youth he inspired.

I designed this mural depicting Porter with the intention of shedding light on Porter’s life through intentionally using vibrant colors. When viewers see this mural, I want the colors to pull them into the portrait, to educate them on who ‘Pop’ was and what he means for the City of Niagara Falls.

Link:
https://thejalenlawcollection.com/journal/calvin-pop-porter

Goals

1. Meet the needs of the community
2. Reflect a quality that will stimulate and engage the community
3. Reflect a quality that will enhance the reputation of Niagara Falls the external art community
4. Reflect a quality that will enhance the reputation of Niagara Falls, making it an arts destination
5. Allow the community to use artwork as an example of exceptional public art
6. Be durable, sustainable and easy to maintain

Process

For this project I incorporated the structure of a art program I created catered towards patients receiving end of life care titled The Legacy Program. The bases of the program is a portraiture process that documents the life of the individual before he or she transitions with the goal of helping to alleviate the stresses of grief for both the patient and family member. I took the protocols of this program by interviewing Calvin's surviving relatives and incorporating their perspectives into the artwork. At the conclusion of the project I installed the interview into a QR code for local residents to understand who Calvin was and what his legacy means to the city of Niagara Falls.