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The Three Faces of Abraham Blue
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Big Picture is a collaborative, city-wide arts initiative with a focus on four main pillars. One of our main pillars is bringing art to public spaces to enliven buildings throughout Peoria. Big Picture raises money and provides funding assistance and consultation to facilitate the installation of large-scale murals for public and private buildings. With an initial focus on Peoria’s Downtown and Warehouse District, the plan is to create an arts corridor through easy-to-see murals that will amplify Peoria’s arts assets and create a more vibrant sense of place for residents and visitors alike.
October 11, 2018, saw the first of large-scale mural installations initiated by the Big Picture team. “Abraham Blue,” at the Peoria County Courthouse is 30’ x 50’ framed mural created by local artist Doug Leunig and funded by private individuals and corporations. The image celebrates Abraham Lincoln’s historic speech in Peoria against slavery while also recognizing Lincoln’s struggle with depression. In his artist’s statement, Doug explained, “Through this piece I hope to elicit dialog and open conversation about depression, remove its stigma and celebrate our inherent ability to face adversity and rise above it to create a future that is better for all.”
[button type=”primary” ]THE STORY OF ABRAHAM BLUE [/button]
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