This is a beautiful mural that is in downtown Lexington distillery District. I didn't even know it…read morewas here I walked around at the restaurant we were at I turned around and boom there was a big giant mural that took up the entire building very impressive this artist definitely took their time there's no telling how long it took to paint this beautiful mural but it was very pleasant and very colorful and just took a lot of detail

Of all of the murals in Lexington, this one was the most controversial. It's located on the outside…read moreof one of the outside walls of the an old warehouse in the distillery district. That "old" warehouse is now home of several the James Pepper Distillery District businesses. Specifically the building that is the home of Fusion Brewery and Battle Axes. When it was first painted, back in 2015 there were only two businesses open in the entire district. And as cool as the area is now, I know that this bad ass mural was part of that growth, for the good. So why was it so controversial? You know those kind of people who like to complain about everything, yeah those are who made it controversial. Although it's a self portrait of sorts, in the mural, he's spelling "Mo" with his hands. NOT a gang sign. I'm serious, people were saying that it was going to cause gang related behavior, and encourage graffiti. Now, I wonder what all those naysayers say about it after how far the district has come along in just a few short years. It's literally one of the most booming areas in Lexington. The artist is a Lexingtonian and if you want to see his story, this video is the best version that I've seen or read: https://vimeo.com/111310990 Like many other artists who shared their talent on the side of Lexington building, the project was sponsored by PRHBTN. Every year they host artists from near and far, to create these spectacular, gigantic forms of street art. Art unlike you'll find a collection in no one city, other than in Lexington, KY.

Lexington's street art scene continues to impress with bold, imaginative works like this…read moremesmerizing mural that blends aquatic surrealism with striking human portraiture. Dominated by shades of turquoise, cobalt, and seafoam, the mural features a stylized fish and a woman locked in a kind of visual duet--her face poised and expressive, the fish abstract yet animated. This mural is a fantastic example of how public art can transform a wall into a window to another world. Whether you're an art lover, Instagrammer, or just passing through, this is one of those pieces that makes Lexington feel like a city alive with imagination.

While in Lexington we visited many different murals in the area and this is one of the best ones we…read moresaw. I'm not a UK fan but it's still cool to see the blue and white and the different colors of Anthony Davis Tim couch Loretta Lynn and Chris Stapleton all Had some kind of impact in Kentucky. So this was cool to see it on the outside of the barbershop that seems to be pretty popular but this was a very pretty mural and very lifelike as well

This striking black-and-white mural of a Muhammad Ali commands attention with a quiet, powerful…read moreintensity--an unforgettable tribute to greatness on the side of a modest brick building in Lexington. Rendered entirely in grayscale, the mural's clean lines and sharp contrasts channel a sense of discipline, strength, and timeless grit. Though it's visually minimalistic, the energy it projects is anything but. The subject stares straight out at the viewer, gloves up, with a calm yet unshakable confidence that resonates deeply. The use of light and shadow here is masterful: even without color, the artist conveys muscle tone, tension, and presence through careful layering of paint. The expression--focused and undeterred--is as much about the mental battle as the physical one, reminding viewers of the endurance and willpower behind true champions.

it was beautiful see. i also loved all of the details put into it. it was…read moresoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo good

When passing through Lexington, I made a point to do a personal tour of murals in the area…read more(something I often do when I visit a new city; I really love murals and public art). This one was a bit off the beaten path, but I'm glad I made the effort to find it because it's important to me to support artists from minoritized backgrounds, and to appreciate the art they create. This mural was painted by Sundiata Rashid, and appears to date from 2016. The black and white half of this mural features prominent African American figures from Lexington's past, and melds into color to depict the present. Represented on the historical side of the mural are: - Isaac Burns Murphy: One of the greatest jockeys in the history of horse racing, Murphy was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1955 (the first person inducted). He won the Kentucky Derby three times. Though he was born enslaved (Kentucky in the 1800's; there will be a theme here), he began a career in thoroughbred racing at age 14. He became one of the most famous athletes in America, and it's astounding that given this background he's probably little known outside of Kentucky or racing circles. - William Wells Brown: Born enslaved, he made multiple escape attempts before making it to Ohio, and ultimately settled in Massachusetts. A contemporary of Frederick Douglass, the two had an open rivalry, though interestingly the freedom of each man was paid for by the same supporters in England. He was important as an early example of travel writing, and was the first African American to publish a novel and a play. He also authored what is widely accepted to be the first history of African Americans in the Revolutionary War. Wells Brown is a descendent of a passenger from the Mayflower. - Les McCann, born in Lexington, came from a musical family: His father was a jazz artist and his mother was a fan of opera. Whilst serving in the navy during WWII, he won a singing contest which landed him a spot on the Ed Sullivan Show and brought him greater attention. A multi-instrumentalist, he established his own trio, known as the Les McCann Trio, with whom he performed for decades. He's collaborated and performed with many artists. Currently in his 80s, McCann is still with us. - Yvonne Giles is affectionally known as "The Cemetery Lady". A Lexington native, she is a leader in the movement to preserve African American cemeteries in Lexington. She has authored at least one book on one of these cemeteries; produced brochures to raise their profile; and contributed to tourism publications for Lexington. She has won numerous awards for her dedication to this work, including one from the Blue Grass Trust for Historic Preservation--an organization that established an award named in her honor. As of January 2022, Ms. Giles is still doing this work. - RCO Benjamin wore many hats: journalist; minister; attorney. In fact, he may have been the first Black editor of a white paper when he assumed leadership of the Daily Sun in Los Angeles, as well as possibly having been the first Black member admitted to the California bar. As a lawyer in Lexington, he was working to register Black people to vote and was beaten by a white man who was opposed to this. Though that man was taken to jail, he was let out later the same evening and waited for Benjamin to return home, at which point the man murdered Benjamin. His murderer, having shot Benjamin six times in the back, argued self-defense and was acquitted. - Mary Ellen Britton was a renaissance woman. A free woman of color, she is the first woman to have been granted a license to practice medicine in Lexington. She received an education, and attended Berea College. She even has a connection with my second hometown of Chicago, where she took classes with the American Medical College but perhaps more interestingly tested the inclusion of the World's Columbian Exposition in 1893, as the limited participation of African Americans has led to protests of the fair. Dr. Britton never married nor had children. The color half of the mural represents the present, and includes children from the neighborhood in which the mural is painted. The thoughtfulness evident in this mural--from the historical figures portrayed to incorporating children from the neighborhood--is moving. I'm so appreciative of Rashid for identifying these folks to include in his mural so I can learn more about them all. I've added books about or by these historical figures so I can learn more about them specifically and the Black history of Lexington and Kentucky more generally. I've just given you six African American people to learn more about, and I hope you join me in doing so. Review #625 6/2022

While we were visiting Lexington we came across this very small cool little mural. I almost didnt…read moresee it until i just happened to glance over. It is by Mintons Cafe and is very hard to see if you are not paying attention. Good little mural to check out when you are in the area. Lexington is filled with murals and public art so go check it out. Color- 2 Creativity- 3 Location- 2 Uniqueness -3

Cute little mural. Blink and you'll miss it! I almost did; it took a double take for me to find it…read more It's painted on the east wall of Minton's cafe. If the weeds get a little thick, you may miss it since it's all the way on the level with the lot. (I wonder how uncomfortable that was to paint?) The artist is unknown, but shout out to Fabulous in Fayette blog for leading me to it so I could grab a photo for my friend who's obsessed with elephants! Review #624 5/2002

Louis Armstrongs on the yellow building and he's playing his saxophone. He's so excited to go check…read moree him out

The mural was simply amazing! It captured the beauty and kindness of Armstrong's spirit of peace…read moreand joyA true masterpiece!

This is a beautiful mural. It's on the west-facing wall of Vintage on Lime, a cute little vintage…read moreplace on Limestone. This is another one by BroCoLoco. It is probably my second favorite mural in Lexington, but it's one that's easy to miss. It's on Limestone a few blocks away from Greyline Station, but in an alleyway between the second-hand shop and some salons. If like me you like to hunt for murals, this is one you'll want to be sure to stop and take a look at.

This is a fantastic piece of public art in a neighborhood that I think may have been historically…read moreneglected. It seems like this area may literally have been "the other side of the tracks", but is undergoing a bit of renewal. I believe this artwork, and the possible development of a small park near it, is part of that. This water tower depicts several different important moments in Black history. I believe the official title of the work is Open the Portals of History and Let Culture Flow. The work is a collaboration between several artists and organizations. Amongst the scenes on the mural are Isaac Burns Murphy, a legendary jockey; several famous athletes who were born in Lexington; Paul Laurence Dunbar, a writer and poet who, although not born in Lexington, has a high school in the city named for him and parents who were enslaved in Kentucky; and several other scenes. As of 2021, there are explanations of the various scenes, which I've included photos of. It really was a great idea to take an eyesore of a water tower (it's huge, and at street level) and turn it into something that's beautiful to look at if it can't be removed. Definitely worth a stop for lovers of public art when in Lexington, and worth the time to read about each of those memorialized in the mural.