The Whaling Wall: Gray Whale and Calf
(1981, 1996, 2019)
Wyland
DESCRIPTION: approx. 60-foot high by 160-foot long mural on multiple walls, consisting of a painted ceramic tile mural done in 1996, and a wall-mounted mural-on-canvas (titled Gray Whale and Calf) completed in 2019, both replacing Wyland's first Whaling Wall of 1981
The original 1981 version of this famous mural was Wyland's first Whaling Wall mural, establishing his series of more than 100 murals throughout the world to call attention to the plight of whales. In July 2019, Wyland re-created this 1981 mural, titled "Gray Whale and Calf", as a wall-mounted mural-on-canvas on the original wall facing the Hotel Laguna parking lot, and incorporating his 1996 painted ceramic tile mural on the separate wall above.
HISTORY: The 1981 mural was painted on the high perimeter wall south of the parking lot for the Hotel Laguna (shown below). The fate of the mural was threatened in 1996 by the Hotel Laguna's operator, who considered it an eyesore and planned to paint over it. After unsuccessful petitions to the Laguna Beach City Council to protect the mural, Wyland purchased what he mistakenly believed was the mural's underlying property in order to safeguard the mural and build a studio and gallery. During his gallery's construction the upper portion of the mural was destroyed. In September 1996, the Hotel Laguna management had the remaining lower part of the mural on the parking lot wall painted over.
In 2019 the public applauded Wyland's creation of the current two-wall painted ceramic tile mural, "Gray Whale and Calf", on the north side of his Laguna Beach studio and gallery - an impressive re-envisioning of his seminal 1981 Whaling Wall directly above the original site. (sources: Los Angeles Times, July 20, 2019, Los Angeles Times, April 17, 1996, Los Angeles Times, Sept. 7, 1996)
The original 1981 version of this famous mural was Wyland's first Whaling Wall mural, establishing his series of more than 100 murals throughout the world to call attention to the plight of whales. In July 2019, Wyland re-created this 1981 mural, titled "Gray Whale and Calf", as a wall-mounted mural-on-canvas on the original wall facing the Hotel Laguna parking lot, and incorporating his 1996 painted ceramic tile mural on the separate wall above.
HISTORY: The 1981 mural was painted on the high perimeter wall south of the parking lot for the Hotel Laguna (shown below). The fate of the mural was threatened in 1996 by the Hotel Laguna's operator, who considered it an eyesore and planned to paint over it. After unsuccessful petitions to the Laguna Beach City Council to protect the mural, Wyland purchased what he mistakenly believed was the mural's underlying property in order to safeguard the mural and build a studio and gallery. During his gallery's construction the upper portion of the mural was destroyed. In September 1996, the Hotel Laguna management had the remaining lower part of the mural on the parking lot wall painted over.
In 2019 the public applauded Wyland's creation of the current two-wall painted ceramic tile mural, "Gray Whale and Calf", on the north side of his Laguna Beach studio and gallery - an impressive re-envisioning of his seminal 1981 Whaling Wall directly above the original site. (sources: Los Angeles Times, July 20, 2019, Los Angeles Times, April 17, 1996, Los Angeles Times, Sept. 7, 1996)
LOCATION: 509 S. Coast Highway, Laguna Beach, California, USA
2019 Gray Whale and Calf incorporating the 1996 The Whaling Wall
Detail:
1996 version
1996 version (WyLAND signature)
