Not long ago, I wrote a little about the late 80s/early 90s music scene in Lexington, KY. One of the town’s lesser known points of pride is the fact that Richard Hell, an important figure in the early punk movement, lived in Lexington when he was young. Indeed, the local music column in the college radio station’s zine was called “Richard Hell’s Homeboys.”
Recently, students at Lexington’s Montessori High School finished a course in the history of punk, and along the way, they learned about Hell’s connection to their town. They decided it was worth commemorating, and eight of them (working with two other local artists) painted a good-sized mural of Mr. Hell near a local restaurant.
A panel from the mural, chiefly painted by Caileigh Kolasa. (Photo: Sydney Momeyer/Lexington Herald-Leader)
As a music fan and a former Lexingtonian, I’m pleased, but I’m even happier to note that the panel above was painted by Caileigh Kolasa, the daughter of two dear friends of mine, one of whom I’ve written about recently. Caileigh will be coming closer to my part of the world this fall when she begins work at SCAD, but I’m glad to see an echo of her late mother’s talent will catch eyes in Lexington for some time to come.
