Artist creates ‘Peace Lexington’ mural to spread awareness on gun violence
Although he's not native to the city, Holbrook wanted to do something for families affected by gun violence here
LEXINGTON, Ky. (WTVQ) – Tucked away near Lexington’s Distillery District, is a small contemporary style mural of a hand holding up the peace sign, with the words stop guns written next to it.
Artist Kyle Holbrook created the mural, different from some of his other work, to make sure his message was clear. The design of the hand he says is because the hand of a person is what shoots the gun.
“It’s there to draw awareness to gun violence, we know in Lexington, I’ve been going to Lexington since I was a little kid, I have family there and unfortunately since the pandemic especially the last two years its just been going crazy with gun violence” said Holbrook.
He adds his message is not to take guns away, but to raise awareness to the issue of violence and come up with solutions on how to fix it.
There have been 25 homicides in Lexington so far this year, with 20 of those being shootings.
And although he’s not native to the city, Holbrook wanted to do something for families affected by gun violence here.
“To know this is done for the memory of their lost loved ones and with gun violence and awareness, to bring awareness in mind and so it’s a place they can use for some sort of healing” added Holbrook.
It’s also a way for him to heal, having lost 46 of his friends to shootings, it’s more than the years he’s been alive.
“You know I lost so many friends starting from when I was a teenager so it’s been something that’s been apart of my life unfortunately, and just recently I decided to really do more about it”
Art was an outlet for him, creating the ‘Moving the Lives of Kids Mural Project’ along the way, to help young kids immerse in the arts too and to get them off the streets.
He hopes his ‘Peace Lexington’ mural will inspire others to make a change.
“You know this isn’t for one race or just for poor people, or you know we see it with mass shootings, we see this is a real issue for the whole country” added Holbrook.
Holbrook is hoping to create these types of murals in all 50 States as part of a “Gun Violence Awareness National Tour”
The mural can be found at 890 Manchester St.
