LEXINGTON, KY (LEX NEWS) — A local artist is working on a mural at Charles Young Park in Lexington's East End — a project aimed at uniting the community that has also become a tribute to a teenager killed there in August.
Artist Tony Wavy said the mural is about bringing people together and showing love to the East End, and is additionally dedicated to Di'Zhon Robertson, who was killed in a mass shooting at the park in August.
"It's become more and really this project is about bringing community together and showing unity in Lexington and. You know, showing a lot of love to the East End area," Tony Wavy said.
The project had been in the works for nearly a year before Robertson's death prompted new additions to the design.
"Now it's taken on a bigger purpose as even a, uh, memorial or dedication to the young man who who, you know, who passed," Tony Wavy said.
"We were working on this actually almost a year, uh, prior," Tony Wavy said.
Wavy said each element of the mural carries its meaning.
"The blossoming flowers in um this piece that's what that represents the next generation of creatives young men young women young kings young queens um who are looking to you know find an outlet, find an avenue," Tony Wavy said.
The mural spans more than one side of the park. Wavy said the Shropshire side of the project will feature Pan African colors as a nod to the culture of the community.
"The Shropshire side is actually gonna look very similar to this side except we're doing Pan African colors. Um, we want colors that represent the culture here," Tony Wavy said.
Wavy said he hopes the work inspires the next generation of artists — and that it remains accessible to everyone.
"The goal is always to reach the young people in the next generation of artists," Tony Wavy said.
"Art and music is cool but it's only gonna last so long if you're just doing it for you we wanna make it accessible to everyone and and hopefully that opens doors and opens eyes as well," Tony Wavy said.
Wavy hopes to complete the mural by the end of September.
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