Baltimore, Maryland Wyland Whaling Wall 46

History of the Baltimore, Maryland Wyland Whaling Wall 46

-Extinct Atlantic Gray Whales

Wyland originally planned to paint a mural on the National Aquarium in Baltimore, Maryland, something he had wanted to do for a long time. But the Aquarium declined, saying the project first had to be approved by Baltimore’s Architectural Review Board, which would take more time than the artist could afford to spend in Baltimore.

Even though he had already picked out a wall at the Aquarium, Wyland had to find another site—the Lee Electric Building, 122 at Hamburg and Russell Streets. The long wall is visible to anyone driving in or out of the city along Russell Street. “I decided to paint the Atlantic gray whale, which had been hunted to extinction in the early 1700s,” the artist says. “This was the first time I’d painted an extinct species, but I wanted to pay homage to the whales and raise awareness about the fact that an entire population or species can be wiped out by man.”

Whaling wall 46

Lee Electric Company, 600 W. Hamburg St., Baltimore, Maryland
260 Feet Long x 20 Feet High
Dedicated August 16, 1993
By Mayor Kurt Schmoke

OUR news

Latest from Blog

Check out our latest and newest blogs for detailed articles on Wyland’s achievements, volunteer opportunities, upcoming events, and giveaways. Shop Wyland, and all proceeds from your purchases directly support our efforts to bring people together for clean water and healthy oceans.