The first step toward restoring a Kobe and Gigi Bryant mural that was tagged in downtown Los Angeles has already begun, less than a day after news broke that the artwork had been vandalized.
On Tuesday morning, Lakers star Luka Doncic’s foundation donated $5,000 to a fundraiser to help restore the art piece, located on a building at 14th and Main streets.
“Kobe is L.A. He and Gigi mean so much to this city, to the Lakers organization and to me personally,” a representative for Doncic said in a statement when asked about the donation Tuesday. “I’m happy to do anything to help make sure he and his daughter are honored.”
In a Monday Instagram post, the account @Kobemural shared before-and-after photos of the Mambas Forever mural in which Lakers legend Kobe Bryant is memorialized in uniform and lovingly holding and kissing his daughter, “Gigi,” who is holding a basketball. Next to them, written in old English style, “Mambas Forever” is painted in purple and gold.
Now the mural has been vandalized with giant bubble letters outlined in black and filled in with white similar to street tagging visible throughout the city.
“Unfortunately one of the first Kobe and Gigi murals has been vandalized in Downtown Los Angeles,” said the image caption. “We’re sharing to bring awareness to the community of fans here in LA, and around the world, who respect and appreciate artists and their mural tributes.”
The caption directs fans to a GoFundMe account to help with restoring the mural.
Until the recent vandalism, artist Louie “Sloe” Motions said the mural had been untouched since he finished it in 2020. He plans to place a protective paint coat on the mural with the proceeds from donations.
“As in life, unfortunate situations will always arise and is expected but it’s all about how we rebound from those situations,” he wrote in a message to The Times.
He said he appreciated the donations. When he was interviewed, Motions had not yet learned of Doncic’s $5,000 gift.
“Your love, appreciation and support for this mural means everything to me and is what makes Los Angeles so strong [and] beautiful,” he said.
Murals memorializing Bryant can be found throughout L.A., with many springing up after he, his daughter and seven others — John Altobelli, 56; Keri Altobelli, 46; Alyssa Altobelli, 13; Christina Mauser, 38, Sarah Chester, 45; Payton Chester, 13; and Ara Zobayan, 50, a helicopter pilot — died Jan. 26, 2020, when the helicopter Zobayan was flying crashed in the hills of Calabasas.
Times staff writer Dan Woike contributed to this report.
More to Read
This post was originally published on this site be sure to check out more of their content.
