Iconic Muralist Tristan Eaton Completes Largest Mural in Ohio for BLINK

Cincinnati, OH (November 16, 2022) - Multidisciplinary artist Tristan Eaton does not shy away from a big undertaking. The prolific artist has created an incredible career based in innovation and monumental projects, leaving a lasting mark on communities across the globe. Similarly, BLINK®, illuminated by Artswave, is well-versed in large-scale art, with the whole city of Cincinnati as their canvas. This alignment in ambition makes their collaboration the perfect storm, leading to the creation of Ohio’s largest mural.

Commissioned for BLINK, Eaton brought his signature layering and thoughtful composition to Cincy, immortalizing part of the city’s history. Standing at an estimated 18,000 sq ft on the side of the 84.51 headquarters, he marks Cincinnati’s deep-rooted commitment to public art and preserves history. Using 3,732 cans of Montana Cans paint, the resulting piece is undeniably a landmark.

Following a wildly successful BLINK 2022 which saw 71 artists and over 2 million attendees, Eaton extended his stay, taking his layering style to new heights–literally–weaving even minute details into the image to create a comprehensive tableau.

The resulting mural is an homage to the broad and rich spectrum of music that has originated from Cincinnati, featuring music legends spanning genres and generations to change the world through their music. With Mamie Smith, Gloria Jones, H-Bomb Ferguson, The Isley Brothers, Phillip Paul, George Russell, James Brown, Doris Day, Marty Balin, and Bootsy Collins all larger than life, the piece is a breathtaking love letter to the city’s musical history.

“It’s amazing to be able to honor these Cincinnati music legends in a grand way through Ohio’s largest mural by one of the most prominent mural artists in the world in Tristan Eaton,” said Cincinnati Mayor, Aftab Pureval. “Experiences like BLINK, and the lasting impact it has created, have positioned Cincinnati to be known as a city that supports the arts and artists on a massive scale.”

This anchor piece for the ever-expanding arts and culture scene that fuels Cincinnati was made possible by 84.51°, Kroger Personal Finance, Kroger Health, Greater Cincinnati Foundation, Visit Cincy and Millstone Fund, all of which have thrown their full support behind creating this artistic landmark. With this mural, Cincinnati publicly acknowledges its own history, immortalizing the path they’ve taken to become the city they are today, and embracing the artists and icons who have helped pave the way.

About Tristan Eaton

Ambitious from a young age, Tristan Eaton began designing toys for Fisher Price at 18--well before graduating from his alma mater, the School of Visual Arts in New York--and co-founding the legendary KidRobot. There, he created two of its most iconic designs, the Dunny and Munny, solidifying himself as one of the founders of the designer toy movement carried forth by contemporary pop artists such as KAWS today. Shortly after KidRobot, Eaton founded Thunderdog Studios, where he created original art and design work for major clients like Nike, Universal and luxury watch brand Hublot among many others. His highly sought after style and work ethic in the field continues to inspire confidence in his clients and admiration among his peers while he blurs the lines between commercial and fine art.

Eaton is perhaps best known for his large scale public murals, found throughout the world from New York to Paris to Shanghai, which he executes in freehand spray paint; a technical and personal nod to his own history and respect for graffiti culture, while honoring traditional painting and muralism with his thoughtful and dynamic subject matter and compositions. From the monster paintings on the Universal Backlot Tour to his recent mural in historic Deep Ellum, Texas, Tristan Eaton creates dynamic and engaging work on a large scale.

All of these experiences become touchstones in Eaton's fine art practice where techniques new and old meet unusual and innovative ideas paired with an assortment of methods and materials both traditional and modern, all of which find a home and harmony in his work. For more information, visit http://www.tristaneaton.com

About BLINK

BLINK®, Illuminated by ArtsWave, is an unforgettable four-day, 30 city block, outdoor art experience that unites street art, projection mapping and light-based installations.

Not only does the event speak to the dynamic evolution of the Cincinnati art community, it calls upon the city’s deep roots in supporting the arts. BLINK is illuminated by ArtsWave, the first and largest community campaign in the nation and the primary way that Cincinnati funds its arts. When tens of thousands of people and hundreds of companies give to ArtsWave, they support 150 cultural organizations and projects each year like BLINK that make our region vibrant. Donations to BLINK and other arts projects and organizations can be made at artswave.org/give.

BLINK is produced and curated by its Executive Partners - the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber, AGAR, and the Haile Foundation, and produced in conjunction with its Partners ArtWorks, Cincy Nice, and ish - to provide opportunities for regional artists and bring in global creators all in the pursuit of a stronger community.