Artist honors Weston McKennie with Little Elm hometown collage
Artist Michael Mapes has created a large-scale collage honoring U.S. Men's National Team midfielder Weston McKennie for installation at Tinman Social in his Little Elm, Texas hometown. Commissioned by Chobani for Feed the Dream as the 2026 FIFA World Cup continues, the portrait uses photos, jerseys, and memorabilia to celebrate the roots behind McKennie's rise to international stardom.
Key Takeaways
- Michael Mapes built a biography-driven collage of Weston McKennie for Chobani's Feed the Dream campaign.
- The artwork will be installed at Tinman Social at 199 Main St. in Little Elm, Texas.
- Materials include jerseys, cleats, goal netting, photographs, and personal memorabilia Mapes calls biographical DNA.
- McKennie put down roots in Little Elm after his family moved during his early childhood.
- The tribute arrives as McKennie competes for Team USA at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Why is Weston McKennie being honored in Little Elm?
As the 2026 FIFA World Cup continues, a nationally recognized artist has turned McKennie's rise from North Texas to the global stage into public art. Mapes said Chobani reached out to create portraits for three U.S. Men's National Team players: McKennie, Christian Pulisic, and Antonee Robinson.
Mapes said Chobani recognized a creative connection between his approach to art and the theme of their Feed the Dream campaign. With these artworks, I have created portraits that express the depth of people beyond players or a single image, he said. The artwork supports the concept that no athlete achieves this level of greatness alone.
For McKennie, that story runs through Little Elm. Weston and his family moved around a bit during his early years, but it was in Little Elm where he truly put down roots and began to develop a deep passion for the game, Mapes said. Seeing these portraits come to life in the communities where it all started feels like a real celebration of the places and people that helped shape them.
What is inside Michael Mapes' Weston McKennie collage?
Mapes built the portrait from what he calls biographical DNA: personal photographs, documents, and found objects that trace a unique path. I incorporated deconstructed football jerseys and a soccer ball, stills from videos, goal netting, cleats and autographs, all evidence of the journey to where McKennie is today, Mapes said.
Each element becomes part of a much larger story, encapsulating his life and experiences as a young footballer. Mapes hopes the finished piece at Tinman Social tells the story of not only McKennie's rise to international stardom but also the people, places, and experiences that shaped him into the player he is today.
How does McKennie's pre-game ritual connect to his World Cup presence?
Off the pitch, McKennie has long leaned on personal routines to stay grounded before big matches. Prior to joining Team USA for this year's World Cup, the midfielder and Chobani nutrition ambassador followed a specific pre-competition ritual before every game, though he told People he does not do it as much anymore.
After showering in the locker room, he would apply face cream, body oil, hair oil, and chapstick. My coaches before would always be like, What are you doing? Are you getting ready for, like, a runway walk or a modeling shoot? McKennie said. I am like, Look good, smell good, play good.
He described the routine as calming, with hot water helping him take his mind off the game before kickoff. And then whenever you get to the game, you are like, All right, it is time, he said. The hometown tribute and the locker-room ritual both spotlight a player whose personality stretches well beyond the midfield.
Where can fans view the McKennie tribute in Little Elm?
The collage will soon be installed at Tinman Social, a Little Elm entertainment venue at 199 Main St. Mapes said he hopes these artworks become catalysts for connection in these communities and beyond.
For more celebrity breaking news on athletes crossing into culture, the Little Elm installation offers a hometown counterpoint to McKennie's World Cup spotlight. Fans can follow the Little Elm Journal report for local installation updates.