{{Short description|American urban artist and muralist}} {{Orphan|date=October 2025}} {{use mdy dates|date=July 2025}} {{Infobox person | name = Eric Skotnes | image = Muralist Eric Skotnes.jpg | caption = Skotnes in 2020, in New Zealand | alma_mater = ArtCenter College of Design, Pasadena | known_for = public art, murals, painting | website = {{URL|https://www.ericskotnes.net/}} }}
'''Eric Skotnes''' is an urban artist based in Los Angeles, best known for his large-scale murals that blend the aesthetics of graffiti with classical figuration.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Eric Zoueh Skotnes and Angelica Navarro |url=https://www.darwinstreetartfestival.com.au/dsaf-2025-artists-1/eric-zoueh-skotnes |access-date=2025-10-01 |website=DSAF |language=en}}</ref><ref name="Fuggetti">{{Cite web |last=Fuggetti |first=Claudia |date=2019-01-22 |title=Classic icons in Eric Skotnes' street art {{!}} Collater.al |url=https://www.collater.al/en/street-art-eric-skotnes/ |access-date=2025-10-01 |website=Collateral |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Braswell |first=Mary |date=2019-10-22 |title=Street Art Meets Climate Science in the Big, Blue Face of Zeus |url=https://luskin.ucla.edu/street-art-meets-climate-science-in-the-big-blue-face-of-zeus |access-date=2025-10-01 |website=UCLA Luskin |language=en-US}}</ref>
== Early life == Skotnes began writing graffiti when he was 11 years old, writing under the moniker Zoueh.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Eric Skotnes |url=https://beyondwalls.org/artists/eric-skotnes/ |access-date=2025-10-01 |website=Beyond Walls |language=en-US}}</ref> He studied illustration and fine art at the ArtCenter College of Design, where he was introduced to classical art and figurative painting.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Yanoe Zoueh |url=https://www.uapcompany.com/about/creatives/yanoe-zoueh |access-date=2025-10-01 |website=UAP |language=en-AU}}</ref> Skotnes has painted graffiti and figurative and abstract work for studio productions, including ''Brooklyn Nine-Nine'', ''The Good Place'' and ''The Last Man on Earth''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Gibson |first=Michelle |date=2019-08-06 |title=Art Spotlight: "The Journey" Mural at Graduate Columbus - Short North, Columbus Ohio |url=https://shortnorth.org/art-spotlight-journey-mural-at-graduate-columbus/ |access-date=2025-10-02 |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Miskelly |first=Zoë |date=2020-05-14 |title=10 Small Details You Only Learn Rewatching Brooklyn Nine-Nine |url=https://whatculture.com/tv/10-small-details-you-only-learn-rewatching-brooklyn-nine-nine |access-date=2025-10-02 |website=WhatCulture.com |language=en}}</ref>
== Career == Skotnes has painted large-scale murals throughout the United States, in cities ranging from Tulsa, Oklahoma to Cedar Rapids, Iowa to Los Angeles, California. Internationally, Skotnes has painted public murals in New Zealand, Peru and Colombia.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Whitaker |first=Stuart |date=2020-01-14 |title=Street artist creates towering Teresa |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/bay-of-plenty-times/news/street-art-la-artist-creates-12m-mural-in-te-puke/EZSNCBONV4XFLUSVO5YYXMYQQQ/ |access-date=2025-10-01 |website=NZ Herald |language=en-NZ}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-01-15 |title=travel Archives - Page 35 of 121 |url=https://streetartutopia.com/tag/travel/ |access-date=2025-10-01 |website=Street Art Utopia |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=All artworks in Lima - Street Art Cities |url=https://streetartcities.com/cities/lima/artworks |access-date=2025-10-01 |website=streetartcities.com}}</ref> The subjects of his murals are often inspired by art history, Neoclassicism, and the local community and history of the city in which he's painting.<ref name="Fuggetti"/><ref>{{Cite web |title=Public, private investments spur public art 'boom' in C.R. |url=https://www.thegazette.com/local-government/city-private-sector-investments-spur-public-art-boom-in-cedar-rapids/ |access-date=2025-10-01 |language=en-US}}</ref> Skotnes has worked with political activist art collective Indecline, notably on an evolving mural entitled ''The Picture of Donald J. Trump'' based on Oscar Wilde’s gothic novel, ''The Picture of Dorian Gray'' (1890)''.''<ref>{{Cite web |last=Picci |first=Barbara |date=2019-02-04 |title=Streetart – Eric Skotnes @ Los Angeles, USA |url=https://barbarapicci.com/2019/02/04/streetart-eric-skotnes-los-angeles/ |access-date=2025-10-01 |website=Barbara Picci |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-01-10 |title=Los Angeles Street Art- Indecline X Zoueh |url=https://longlistshort.com/los-angeles-street-art-indecline-x-zoueh/ |access-date=2025-10-01 |website=longlistshort |language=en-US}}</ref>
=== ''Blue Zeus'', 2019 === In 2019, Skotnes collaborated with UCLA to paint the first eco-mural using solar reflective material as paint.<ref>{{Cite journal |date=2022-04-15 |title=UCLA x Indecline ("blue Zeus" eco-mural) |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590332222001506 |journal=One Earth |volume=5 |issue=4 |pages=378–379 |doi=10.1016/j.oneear.2022.03.017 |issn=2590-3322}}</ref> The mural, a 27 foot high depiction of Greek god Zeus, was created to encourage conversations surrounding climate change and the urban heat island effect.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-10-14 |title="Cool" Street Art Mural Combats Effects of Climate Change and Celebrates Los Angeles |url=https://www.ampedkitchens.com/blog/cool-street-art-and-climate-change/ |access-date=2025-10-01 |website=Amped Kitchens |language=en-US}}</ref>
=== ''The Journey'', 2019 === Skotnes collaborated with fellow muralist Ryan Sarfati, who goes by Yanoe, on three 11-story murals in Columbus, Ohio, collectively entitled ''The Journey.''<ref>{{Cite web |last=Thomas |first=Tanisha |title=Short North mural projects give big, bold, public displays to artists' works |url=https://www.dispatch.com/story/entertainment/2019/08/05/short-north-mural-projects-give/4537941007/ |access-date=2025-10-01 |website=The Columbus Dispatch |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Wiley |first=Chelsea |date=2020-01-08 |title=These Augmented Reality Murals In The Short North Are Seriously Breathtaking |url=https://www.columbusnavigator.com/the-journey-murals-augmented-reality-short-north/ |access-date=2025-10-01 |website=Columbus Navigator |language=en-US}}</ref> One of the murals includes the figure of a Somali woman, a depiction of Hodan Mohammed, who is a leader of local Somali community organizations.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Thomas |first=Tanisha |title=Permanent Short North murals nominated for international award |url=https://www.dispatch.com/story/entertainment/arts/2020/06/30/permanent-short-north-murals-nominated-for-international-award/112797164/ |access-date=2025-10-01 |website=The Columbus Dispatch |language=en-US}}</ref> Skotnes was inspired by the fact that Columbus is home to the second largest population of Somali immigrants and hopes the work will symbolize fortitude and hope to its viewers.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-01-15 |title=Watch: "World's largest mural" in Short North is more than meets the eye |url=https://614now.com/2020/explore-columbus/adventures/watch-worlds-largest-mural-in-short-north-is-more-than-meets-the-eye |access-date=2025-10-02 |website=614NOW |language=en-US}}</ref>
=== ''The Majestic'', 2021 === Skotnes and Yanoe painted the world's largest augmented reality artwork at the time of its unveiling.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lefkowitz |first=Ian |title='The Majestic' |url=http://www.atlasobscura.com/places/the-majestic-tulsa |access-date=2025-10-01 |website=Atlas Obscura |language=en}}</ref> The mural, entitled ''The Majestic'', is located in Tulsa, Oklahoma and is named after the theater that once stood on the site. Inspired by the art deco heritage of the city, this work celebrates local culture and flora and fauna common in the state.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Shirodkar |first=Suhita |title=Finally, a Good Use for NFTs: Preserving Street Art |url=https://www.wired.com/story/nft-street-art/ |access-date=2025-10-01 |magazine=Wired |language=en-US |issn=1059-1028}}</ref> In addition to the two-dimensional mural, the artists painted a QR code on the mural which unlocks a three-dimensional augmented reality version with flying butterflies, swimming fish and passing clouds.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=October 18, 2021 |title=City Of Tulsa Unveiling World's Largest Augmented Reality Mural: 'The Majestic' |url=https://www.newson6.com/story/616d8b57e961380c12f51538/city-of-tulsa-unveiling-worlds-largest-augmented-reality-mural:-the-majestic |access-date=2025-10-01 |website=www.newson6.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Farris |first=Emily |date=2021-06-23 |title=Main Park Plaza mural painting underway |url=https://www.kjrh.com/news/local-news/main-park-plaza-mural-painting-underway |access-date=2025-10-01 |website=2 News Oklahoma KJRH Tulsa |language=en}}</ref> The mural was commissioned by the Tulsa Parking Authority and was supported by the Arts Commission of the City of Tulsa.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-06-23 |title=New Tulsa mural expected to be completed by mid-July |url=https://www.fox23.com/news/local/new-tulsa-mural-expected-to-be-completed-by-mid-july/article_4fd27631-323c-56bc-9191-fb3102de9ac0.html |access-date=2025-10-01 |website=www.fox23.com |language=en}}</ref>
=== ''Fabric of Life'', 2023 === Skotnes collaborated with Yanoe to paint a mural in San Juan Bautista, celebrating cultural, environmental and historical motifs.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Eliason |first=Robert |date=2023-12-02 |title="The Fabric of Life" mural dedicated in San Juan Bautista |url=https://benitolink.com/the-fabric-of-life-mural-dedicated-in-san-juan-bautista/ |access-date=2025-10-01 |website=BenitoLink |language=en-US}}</ref> Funded by Caltrans as part of Governor Gavin Newsom’s Clean California Initiative, ''The Fabric of Life'' tells the story of San Juan's ranching history and El Teatro Campesino.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-09-01 |title=Artists selected to install two public art projects in San Benito County |url=https://sanbenito.com/artists-selected-to-install-two-public-art-projects-in-san-benito-county/ |access-date=2025-10-01 |website=SanBenito.com |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-08-18 |title=Artist Announcement for Clean California Public Art Projects – San Benito County Arts Council |url=https://www.sanbenitoarts.org/artist-announcement-for-clean-california-public-art-projects/ |access-date=2025-10-01 |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Castillo |first=Linda |date=2024-02-25 |title="The Fabric of Life" Mural in San Juan Bautista, CA |url=https://modernlatina.com/the-fabric-of-life-mural-in-san-juan-bautista-ca/ |access-date=2025-10-01 |website=Modern Latina |language=en-US}}</ref>
== References == {{Reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Skotnes, Eric}} Category:American muralists Category:Living people Category:Year of birth missing (living people)