Client: Short North Alliance

Overview

Graduate Columbus, a hotel in the Short North Arts District of Columbus, Ohio, features
a series of three permanent murals, titled The Journey , by Los Angeles-based artists
Ryan “Yanoe” Sarfati & Eric “Zoueh” Skotnes, completed in 2019. The murals, which
are the tallest in the city, depict the journey of a hummingbird connecting man to the
gods. Mythological figures signify the prosperity of Columbus, while the figure of local
Somali woman Hodan Mohammed, founder of the community organization Our Helpers,
wearing a traditional guntiino , represents the journey of new Americans in Columbus, a
welcoming city. Sarfati and Skotnes were prolific in the 1990s L.A. street art/graffiti
community and have built professional careers working in the film industry and as
international muralists. The augmented reality experience was created & developed by
Augmented Island Studios of Portland, Oregon. Eric and Ryan, the artists, hand
selected the company to work together with them as a team on the project to create a
beautiful blend of art & technology. The public can download a free app and experience
different scenes within the artwork. Presently, the mural is under consideration for being
one of the largest augmented reality murals in the world.

Goals

●Stimulate Conversation: Public art can stand out, engage, and inspire residents and
visitors intellectually, aesthetically, and emotionally.
● Tell the Story: Public art can embody our community spirit and aspirations by honoring
the past and envisioning our future.
● Speak to Diversity: Public art can speak to the many people and neighborhoods united
by High Street.
● Take Risks: Public art can be bold, challenge our understanding of art, and express our
ambition.
● Level Up: Public art can represent the highest expression of culture and elevate the
profile of our city.
● A successful project would maximize the site-specific nature of the building as a canvas,
leveraging its unique architecture, while creating deliberate linkages between the artwork
and the pedestrian.

Process

1.) Call for Artists released via Codaworx
2.) Four artists selected for proposal creation
3.) One proposal selected (Ryan “Yanoe” Sarfati and Eric “Zoueh” Skotnes)
4.) Project management/setup meetings
a.) Artists, Short North Alliance
b.) Artists, The Graduate Columbus/AJ Capital Partners
c.) Artists, Hodan Mohamed (woman featured in North facing side mural)
d.) Artists, Augmented Reality
5.) Mural Creation
a.) Sketch Projection
b.) Paint/Spray
i.) North Side- Ryan “Yanoe” Sarfati 90%, Eric “Zoueh” Skotnes 10%
ii.) South Side- Eric “Zoueh” Skotnes 90%, Ryan “Yanoe” Sarfati 10%
c.) Finish with clear coat barrier
6.) Artist in Residency
a.) Public Artist Talk
b.) Day 1- Masterclass with artists and artist in residency participants
c.) Day 2- Mural Creations with artists and artist in residency participants
d.) Donation to Columbus Neighborhoods
7.) Augmented Reality Launch
8.) Grand Opening of Hotel
9.) Mural Dedication

Additional Information

Additional Information: Broad and High Feature - https://www.pbs.org/video/journey-mural-graduate-columbus-hotel-pcatqo/ Augmented Reality Experience - https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1248092745401587 ABC 6 Feature - https://abc6onyourside.com/news/local/stunning-short-north-murals-grace-sides-of-new-hotel 10 TV Feature - https://www.10tv.com/article/california-artists-leaving-their-mark-short-north-2019-jul The Dispatch Feature - https://www.dispatch.com/entertainmentlife/20190801/short-north-mural-projects-give-big-bold-public-displays-to-artists-works