The emergence of augmented and virtual reality technology is enlightening creatives to untapped potential. As technology continues to grow, so does the creative ambition amongst artists and designers to apply it to their work.
The biggest AR mural experience on the planet happens to be in our neighborhood, Columbus, Ohio. Columbus is known for being an artistic city, with multiple creative outlets for locals to participate in and enjoy. As neighbors, we wanted to visit the murals ourselves and pay homage to breathtaking creative work.
“The immigrant’s journey to an unknown place takes a lot of strength, and when they arrive, the hope is to prosper in abundance.”
– Ryan Sarfati
The Journey
The Journey is a collection of murals that were ideated by artists Ryan Sarfati (Yanoe) and Eric Skotnes (Zoueh). The two teamed up to tell a story through art, AR, and human participation; bringing to life the journey of Somalian immigrants in Columbus. Columbus is home to a large Somalian population, and sharing this story to the continuously growing community was an important piece in developing this creative work.
Each mural is a distinct piece of art, that tells a different chapter in The Journey. The two largest murals emphasize a Somali woman kneeling, and god-like mythical creatures, while a smaller installation is a group of hummingbirds in a flower garden.
The god-like creatures symbolize strength and perseverance, while the hummingbirds symbolize success and flourishment. The portrait of a Somali woman kneeling happens to be a prominent figure in Columbus, Hodan Mohammed, who founded the Columbus Somali Festival.
Bringing the large scale murals to the next level, Sarfati and Skotnes partnered with Augmented Island Studios, to truly animate and connect The Journey experience.
