Aug. 3, 2026
On the evening of August 1, aka 801 Day, Salt Lake City revealed the design of the new mural that will soon be painted on one of our most beloved pieces of public art in the heart of the 9th & 9th neighborhood.
Salt Lake County-based artist Jiyoun Lee-Lodge will create a new site-specific mural for the “Out of the Blue” sculpture, affectionately known as the Whale.
The mural, titled “Open Your Eyes,” draws inspiration from Great Salt Lake, Utah’s expansive skies, and the movement of water, using gradients of pink and blue, flowing wave patterns, and colorful dots to create a dynamic surface that shifts as viewers move around the sculpture. Lee-Lodge will begin painting in late August.
“The colors may change, but ‘Out of the Blue’ will remain the joyfully unexpected landmark that Salt Lakers have made their own,” said Mayor Erin Mendenhall. “This new mural, inspired by Great Salt Lake, reflects a city that can hold onto what it loves while continuing to grow, evolve, and see itself in new ways.”
The Salt Lake City Art Design Board, with input from community stakeholders, selected Lee-Lodge’s mural design from a competitive county-wide call. The selection process included public presentations, and the Board weighed artistic excellence, feasibility, community responsiveness, maintenance, and safety. Her design was informed by a highly popular shapeSLC engagement process that compiled input from more than 1,700 residents about what the sculpture and neighborhood mean to them.
Stephen Kesler created and installed “Out of the Blue” in April 2022. From the start, “Out of the Blue” aimed to feature a new mural every 3 to 5 years. Its inaugural mural, Mike Murdock’s “Point of Reference,” depicted the sunrises and sunsets seen from the 9th & 9th neighborhood. Located in a roundabout at the intersection of Harvey Milk Boulevard (900 South), 1100 East, and Gilmer Drive, the sculpture is a neighborhood anchor and symbol of creativity, resilience, and community. The City will celebrate the completed mural with “Whale Fest” on Saturday, October 3, 2026. More details will be shared in the coming weeks.
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LINKS
- Media Ready Images of Open Your Eyes and Jiyoun Lee-Lodge
- Media Ready Images of Out of the Blue and Point of Reference
- Community Engagement Survey
About the Public Art Program
The Salt Lake City Public Art Program aims to enhance public spaces by incorporating high-quality, site-specific artworks into the natural and built environments, recognizing the social and economic benefits of aesthetic experiences. Established in 1984 through the Percent-for Art ordinance, the Program allocates 1.5% of eligible City project funds to commission artists for new construction projects. The city’s public art collection, which includes over 160 permanent artworks, can be found in various mediums across parks, buildings, streets, and plazas throughout all City Council Districts. To learn more about the Public Art Program and collection visit publicart.slc.gov.
About Salt Lake City Arts Council
The mission of the Salt Lake City Arts Council is to promote, present, and support artists, arts organizations, and arts activities in order to further the development of the arts community and to benefit the public by expanding awareness, access, and participation. saltlakearts.org