We're going to the races, friends, and we're taking one of our favorite Kick-Ass Kentuckians with us! If anyone knows how to party down on the best day in May, it's Hunter S. Thompson, himself a native of Louisville and a proud supporter of the infield crowd, a boatload of booze, and the joys of a rowdy good time. Kick-Ass Kentuckian, artist, and Derby aficionado, Rachael Sinclair has placed Hunter S. Thompson on a winning horse, thrown a mint julep in his hand, lit his cigarette and sent him to the races.
In 1970, Thompson's essay "The Kentucky Derby is Decadent and Depraved" began what we now know as "gonzo journalism" – thank god for all the bourbon-fuelled glory of Kentucky, which brought about a literary revolution! Our "Hunter S. Thompson" print is inspired by the style of Ralph Steadman, a friend and longtime collaborator who Thompson met at the 1970 Derby. Rather than focus on the glory of the race, Thompson and Steadman wandered through the stadium looking for odd faces in the crowd to satirize and sketch in drug and drink-addled creative frenzies. During that formative race day, Thompson was searching for the face of "the whiskey gentry" – a visage marked by booze, failed dreams, and terminal identity crisis – and what he ultimately discovered was his own likeness.
In celebration of Derby week, a limited number of these kick-ass prints will be available on Friday May 2nd at 10:00AM ET. Designed by the talented Rachael Sinclair (you might remember Rachael's other HST print). Printed on French Paper Co. paper. Rachael's made another good bet with this print, and we're ready to share the winnings with you. At $25 per, these are sure to sell.
