Anchorage, Alaska Wyland Whaling Wall 54

History of the Anchorage, AK Wyland Whaling Wall 54

-Inner City Whales

Whaling wall 54

In August 1994 in Anchorage, Alaska, a mural unlike anything ever seen slowly came into focus on the sprawling wall of the local J.C. Penney’s Department Store. Visitors who came face to face with “Alaska’s Marine Life” were often heard to remark that in size and scope, the mural was breathtaking. Splashed across its 20,000 square feet was the living embodiment of Alaska’s marine ecosystems, from its humpback whales and sea lions to a variety of other cold- loving species. The reasons for this rich biodiversity are well understood. The nutrient-filled waters of the North Pacific Ocean attract beautiful animals and contribute to a pristine wilderness environment. However, environmental stressors, like the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill, have presented extreme challenges for wildlife and ecosystems throughout Prince William Sound.

“Alaska’s Marine Life” directly reflects the mission of the Wyland Foundation and its efforts to draw focus towards environmental challenges through the arts and sciences. The foundation’s ongoing effort to focus careful attention on the impact of upstream activities on downstream issues, like oil drilling, pollution, and logging, are central to the foundation’s mobile education outreach and classroom programs. Critical ecosystems like those within Alaska’s coastal waters deserve protection, and the foundation’s growing body of work has provided plenty of educational opportunities to encourage action on that front.

Did You Know?

11 million gallons of crude oil was spilled during the Exxon Valdez oil spill across the Prince William Sound. An estimated 250,000 seabirds, 2,800 sea otters, and 300 harbor seals were killed. The worlds’ largest populations of humpback whales, orcas, and sea lions call Alaska’s coastal waters home. As a result, these habitats are vital for research towards marine life and
conservation.

Wyland’s message highlighting the desperate need for continued conservation efforts in Alaska is clearly present in this mural. The Wyland Foundation deepens the public’s understanding of the upstream and downstream connection through Wyland’s murals in an effort to heal our
global marine ecosystems, oceans, and waterways.

J.C. Penneys
406 W. 5th Ave.
Anchorage, Alaska
400 Feet Long x 50 Feet High
Dedicated August 8th, 1994
By Mayor Rick Mystron

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