For renowned visual artist Chris B. Murray, Syracuse basketball was like a religion growing up in Upstate New York.
In a region of the country where the closest professional teams are located three hours away at best, the orange block S is as recognizable as the Yankees’ cap insignia. Jim Boeheim, who coached the Orange for 47 seasons, could probably win a statewide election by simply entering his name.
A Fitting Tribute
Murray is seeking funding for his next project, a four-story mural dedicated to Boeheim, which the artist considers his longtime goal as a tribute to the coach who meant so much to the area he grew up in.
“As a kid, I grew up two hours north of Syracuse,” Murray said. “SU basketball, it was as big as it gets up there. I watched it with my family. I went to Jim’s summer basketball camp a couple of times with friends. He gave us representation, you know, being from a small area up there. He was in some of my favorite movies growing up, ‘He Got Game, ‘Blue Chips’. Seeing a local guy like that walk amongst the giants that I idolized as a kid, it meant everything to me.
“This project here is like a hoop dreams moment for me. It’s the D1 scholarship that I never got. It’s like hearing my name on draft night. Also, aside from paying Jim and his family homage, it’s giving my family and friends a little something too. Something that we all grew up loving.”
Aiming For August
The project’s fundraising goal is $90,000, but the City of Syracuse has set an August deadline. Murray created a GoFundMe last month that yielded some support, but the artist is hopeful for further buy-in from the community once word of his mural spreads.
Murray has also received direct support from Boeheim’s wife, Juli, who introduced Murray to key community connections and got her husband’s approval for the mural.
“(Juli) would send Jim all the sketches and all the progress that I’ve made along the way,” Murray said. “He’d approve things and make little comments here and there. I went up to Wing Fest in Syracuse a couple of weekends ago, met Jim and Juli in person, and got to speak with them for a little bit. They’re both very excited.”
Prime Location
The prospective mural will be located at 215 W. Fayette St. in Syracuse, which Murray says is a prime spot within the city. Nailing down a location was arduous, but the artist is happy with the currently planned spot.
“It’s in the heart of downtown Syracuse, so the visibility is great,” Murray said. “It’s on a corner where everybody will see it, whether they’re walking or driving. It’s an amazing building. The wall itself is in good shape. I had other locations that were also great, but this was the first one where the visibility was great and both the building and parking lot owner signed off.”
Inside The Design
The mural’s design is an in-depth tribute to Boeheim’s 47-year run, with nods to the Carrier Dome and the 2003 National Championship team.
“He’s coached everybody under the sun, from Carmelo Anthony to John Wallace,” Murray said. “Jim was responsible for so many legends, through coaching, guiding and mentoring. With this design, I kind of wanted to highlight all of that. From early on in his career to the present day. I mean, he’s done so much.”
In addition to the GoFundMe linked above (and again here), Murray encourages supporters of the project to reach out to him personally via social media or email if interested in making a donation.
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