Art exhibit in Chadwick Boseman's hometown honors legacy

re’s a hole in Anderson, South Carolina. It opened suddenly in August when Chwick Boseman, one of city’s favorite sons and an international star for his role as Black Panr, died after a quiet battle with cancer at just 43 years old. Two months later, that void is slowly being stitched toger by local artists who picked up ir brushes to hor Boseman with a new outdoor art exhibit in downtown Anderson, a city of about 28,000 people. 

Local artist Troleum Dawson started painting his take on Boseman’s im just hours after news broke of his passing . His depiction is one of nearly 20 on display in project sponsored by city.

" feeling behind it, words can’t even explain, even way we bring it all toger in different styles, it was just something everyone h to see,” Dawson told Associated Press.

Boseman rose to Hollywood stardom after taking on such iconic roles as Jackie Robinson, who integrated baseball, and Black Panr. Marvel superhero movie became one of top-grossing films in history and he inspired millions with his character's signature “Wakanda forever!” salute.

accomplished actor never spoke publicly about his battle with colon cancer. He was diagsed with st 3 cancer in 2016 and continued working while privately battling “countless surgeries and chemorapy,” his family said in a statement.

Boseman's resolve was awe-inspiring to Dawson. “He's showing us that matter what you’re going through, whatever you’re fighting through, if you love what you love, don’t ever give up on your dream,” Dawson told AP.  exhibit, which opened to public Thursday, features nearly twenty local South Carolina artists. pieces lining walls of Wren Pavilion offer different takes on Boseman’s life, from his teen years to his iconic superhero role.

Local artist Joey Withinarts, who is a colon cancer survivor himself, says project has brought community closer. “It shows all different faces that he h and smiles,” he said.

Many of paintings show Boseman dressed as T’Challa, king of Wakanda. Ors capture his red-carpet smile, while one portrait depicts a young Boseman playing basketball at T.L. Hanna High School in Anderson. That piece was given to mayor and will be displayed at Boseman's alma mater. Exhibit organizer Herman Keith Jr. sees Boseman's life as a mess to young kids living in small towns like Anderson and beyond.

“ impact that he h on world coming from same place that we come from, under some of same situations and conditions that we come from, and to see that he was able to affect world way that he did, it was very encouraging,” Keith said.  artwork is being displayed on digital prints hered to walls of pavilion. city hopes to keep exhibit open for at least a year.