In honor of NOMA’s centennial in 2011, Odili Donald Odita was commissioned to create a site-specific mural for the museum’s McDermott Lobby.

Odita, born in Nigeria and now based in Philadelphia, is well known for his hard-edged abstract paintings and murals in bright colors. His works reflect his African heritage—they are reminiscent of African textiles—but Odita also draws inspiration from contemporary media-centered culture as well as the duality of growing up in both Nigeria and America. For this particular mural, Odita was further inspired by the culture and history of New Orleans.

“I like to get a feeling for a space and then try to capture the dynamics of that space,” Odita explains. “This means not only what the space looks like, but also how it is used, how people travel and walk through it. In this case, I will also consider the space of New Orleans. New Orleans is a rare international space in America; it goes beyond regional—it has more of an international context because of its rich history.”

He spoke at the museum upon completion of the mural, titled Forever.