Massive Mural in Columbus’

May 29

If you haven’t had the chance to visit the Short North lately, you’re missing out.

Mostly because there are some incredible new augmented reality murals waiting for you. The three murals along North High Street were created by Eric Skotnes and Ryan Sarfati, and they are each enhanced by downloading an app to your phone.

When viewing the murals through the app, they will transform in front of your eyes, bringing the art to life.

The murals cover a total area of 11,000 square feet, which makes them the largest augmented reality mural experience in the world. Once visitors to the murals download the app, they just have to point their camera towards the mural to experience beautiful hummingbirds, flowers, and other characters from the mural in real-time 3D.

Ryan Sarfati, who goes by Yanoe, is a Belgium American artist born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He began writing graffiti at the age of 11 and by the age of 17 was one of the most prolific names in Los Angeles. Yanoe has painted in over 20 countries and appeared in multiple art publications around the world. You may have seen more of his work around, since his client list includes Nike, Urban Decay, Headspace, Google, Apple, Facebook, and Netflix.

Yanoe was joined on this endeavor by his fellow artist Eric Skotnes, who painted one of my all-time favorite laughs, a portrait on Parks & Rec featuring Leslie Knope and her nemesis, Jeremy Jamm..

The duo was chosen out of 50 artists who applied to create the mural for The Graduate Hotel building. Skotnes decided to illustrate a journey in the mural once he learned of the large population of Somali immigrants in Columbus.

Ryan Yanoe Sarfati

Ryan “Yanoe” Sarfati, is a Belgium American contemporary artist best known for his large-scale murals and evocatively versitic aesthetic. Born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Yanoe forged his urban art identity as a graffiti writer, crafting wild-style, interlocking lettering radiating with energy. Yanoe relocated to Los Angeles during the early 1990s and has since become a formidable, prolific force in the mural and installation scene. With site-specific murals in cities ranging from Tulsa, Oklahoma to Brisbane, Australia to Los Angeles, California, Yanoe creates work that is an important integer of placemaking. Developed over his multi-decade career, Yanoe has a keen understanding of mass and space and is elegantly versed at translating multidimensional modalities, like Brutalist architecture, into dynamic, unidimensional walls. Yanoe has successfully managed and executed several large scale public art installations. Working closely with engineers and architects to create award-winning immersive experiences across the world. Currently holding a world record for largest augmented reality mural in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Yanoe has pivoted the intentionality of his practice to fine art, exploring studio painting and commercial partnerships with companies such as: Nike, Urban Decay, Headspace, Google, Apple, Facebook, and Netflix.

Massive Mural in Columbus’

If you haven’t had the chance to visit the Short North lately, you’re missing out.

Columbus College of Art & Design

High above High Street