Tristan Eaton

Eaton was born in Hollywood, California in 1978.{{cite magazine |last=Wright |first=Courtney |url=https://www.lamag.com/culturefiles/artist-tristan-eatons-25-year-career-has-been-a-journey-of-self-discovery/ |title=Artist Tristan Eaton's 25-Year Career Has Been a Quest of Self-Discovery |date=July 21, 2021 |magazine=Los Angeles |location=Los Angeles |publisher=Engine Vision Media |archive-date=October 5, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221005162305/https://www.lamag.com/culturefiles/artist-tristan-eatons-25-year-career-has-been-a-journey-of-self-discovery/ |access-date=May 23, 2023 |url-status=live }}{{Cite interview | last=Eaton |first=Tristan |title=Tristan Eaton Interview By Joel Duran |interviewer=Joel Duran |url=https://www.chicanoperspectives.com/interviews/essays/tristaneaton |date=July 27, 2021 |work=Chicano Perspectives |location=Long Beach |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230523233113/https://www.chicanoperspectives.com/interviews/essays/tristaneaton |archive-date=May 23, 2023 |access-date=May 23, 2023 |url-status=live }}{{Cite interview |last=Eaton |first=Tristan |subject-link=Tristan Eaton |url=https://www.thestatesman.com/features/love-visit-paint-india-street-artist-tristan-eaton-1502550186.html |title = I would love to visit, paint in India: Street artist Tristan Eaton| newspaper=The Statesman |publisher=IANS |location=New Delhi |date=December 23, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180820183924/https://www.thestatesman.com/features/love-visit-paint-india-street-artist-tristan-eaton-1502550186.html |archive-date=August 20, 2018 |access-date=May 23, 2023 |url-status=live }} After living in London for a few years in his youth, his family moved to Detroit, where his father was born and raised, and he eventually attended Detroit's College for Creative Studies.{{Cite web |url=https://www.metrotimes.com/detroit-guides/tristan-eaton-returns-to-his-detroit-roots-as-the-dirty-shows-special-guest-artist-29288104 |title=Renaissance man Tristan Eaton returns to his Detroit roots as the Dirty Show's featured artist |last=DeVito |first=Lee |date=February 9, 2022 |website=Detroit Metro Times |access-date=May 18, 2023 |archive-date=August 15, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220815163428/https://www.metrotimes.com/detroit-guides/tristan-eaton-returns-to-his-detroit-roots-as-the-dirty-shows-special-guest-artist-29288104 |url-status=live }} He moved to New York City at 20 years of age and attended the New York School of Visual Arts.{{Cite web |url=https://www.longbeachwalls.com/tristan-eaton |title= Tristan Eaton |website=Longbeachwalls.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230523181658/https://www.longbeachwalls.com/tristan-eaton |archive-date=May 23, 2023|access-date=May 23, 2023 |url-status=live }} While in New York, under the pseudonym TrustoCorp, he used billboards and street signs to deliver political messages as a street artist. He returned to live in Los Angeles 15 years later.{{Cite web |url=https://www.designboom.com/design/midnight-charrette-podcast-interview-street-art-murals-tristan-eaton-10-20-2019/ |title=the midnight charrette interviews street artist and toy designer tristan eaton |date=October 19, 2019 |website=designboom |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220818163254/https://www.designboom.com/design/midnight-charrette-podcast-interview-street-art-murals-tristan-eaton-10-20-2019/ |archive-date=August 18, 2022 |access-date=May 23, 2023 |url-status=live }}

During his time in Detroit as a teen, while pitching his artwork at a local gallery, Eaton was introduced to Jerry Vile, the publisher of the alternative Orbit magazine, who gave him a job as an illustrator. In 1996, at the age of 18, a college instructor helped him sell a toy design to Fisher-Price. This experience laid the foundation for his future work in toy design.{{cite interview |last=Eaton |first=Tristan |interviewer=Degen Pener |title="You Can Literally Throw Money at Your Problems": Artist Tristan Eaton on His New, Interactive Exhibit at Long Beach Museum of Art |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lifestyle/arts/artist-tristan-eaton-on-new-interactive-exhibit-long-beach-museum-of-art-1234988626/ |work=The Hollywood Reporter |date=July 28, 2021 |publisher=Penske Media Corporation |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220812085756/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lifestyle/arts/artist-tristan-eaton-on-new-interactive-exhibit-long-beach-museum-of-art-1234988626/ |archive-date=August 12, 2022 |access-date=May 21, 2023 |url-status=live }}

In 2004, Eaton created the Dunny designer toy in collaboration with Paul Budnitz of Kidrobot.{{Cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DYbhAwAAQBAJ&q=%22Tristan+Eaton%22+Dunny+Toy&pg=PA234 |title=The Graphic Art of the Underground: A Countercultural History |isbn=9781472573551 |last1=Lowey |first1=Ian |last2=Prince |first2= Suzy |date=2014 |publisher=Bloomsbury Visual Arts |location=London; New York }}{{Cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BURQAAAAMAAJ&q=%22Tristan+Eaton%22+Dunny+Toy |title = Design Life Now |isbn = 9780910503990 |last1 = Bloemink |first1 = Barbara J. |year = 2006 |publisher=Smithsonian / Cooper-Hewitt }}{{cite web |last1=Bond |first1=Mindy |last2=Raphie |first2=Frank |title=Tristan Eaton, Graffiti Artist, Illustrator & Toy Designer |url=https://gothamist.com/arts-entertainment/tristan-eaton-graffiti-artist-illustrator-toy-designer |website=Gothamist |date=December 3, 2004 |publisher=New York Public Radio |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230205120353/https://gothamist.com/arts-entertainment/tristan-eaton-graffiti-artist-illustrator-toy-designer |archive-date=February 5, 2023 |access-date=May 23, 2023 |url-status=live }} In 2006, Eaton collaborated with Burger King to create a vinyl designer toy for its “The Subservient Chicken” ad campaign.{{Cite web |url=https://www.vinylpulse.com/2006/06/burger_king_sub.html |title=Burger King Subservient Chicken by Tristan Eaton |author=Jack |website=Vinyl Pulse |date=June 28, 2006 |access-date=May 18, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130702180738/https://www.vinylpulse.com/2006/06/burger_king_sub.html |archive-date=July 2, 2013 |url-status=live }}

Eaton created posters for Barack Obama's 2008 presidential election campaign.{{Cite news |last=Jasmine |first=Aliya |url=https://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/universal-studios-monster-mural-hollywood/165287/|title=Creepy Cool: The Story Behind The Monster Mural at Universal Studios Hollywood |work=KNBC |location=Los Angeles |date=March 14, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220706065440/https://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/universal-studios-monster-mural-hollywood/165287/ |archive-date=July 6, 2022 |access-date=May 23, 2023 |url-status=live }}

In 2009, Eaton was the designer of Soul Train Music Awards for BET, a subsidiary of Viacom.{{Cite news |first=Travis R. |last=Wright |date=November 23, 2009 |url=https://www.metrotimes.com/arts/new-york-by-way-of-detroit-artist-tristan-eaton-redesigns-soultrain-2294255 |newspaper=Detroit Metro Times |title=New York by way of Detroit Artist Tristan Eaton Redesigns SoulTrain |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220525001319/https://www.metrotimes.com/arts/new-york-by-way-of-detroit-artist-tristan-eaton-redesigns-soultrain-2294255 |archive-date=May 25, 2022 |access-date=May 23, 2023 |url-status=live }}

In 2020, Eaton designed the tickets and game program for the Super Bowl.{{Cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/29/arts/design/super-bowl-street-art.html |title=Large Art Before The Big Game |first=Joseph B. |last=Treaster |page=C6 |newspaper=The New York Times |date=February 1, 2020 |access-date=August 5, 2023 }} {{subscription required}}{{Cite news |url=https://apnews.com/article/1710be95c5a41cb7c85c0858c5c2822f |work=Associated Press |title=Miami street artists to feature works during Super Bowl |date=January 29, 2020 |location=Miami |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230524054212/https://apnews.com/article/1710be95c5a41cb7c85c0858c5c2822f |archive-date=May 24, 2023 |access-date=May 24, 2023 |url-status=live}} That same year, he was commissioned by SpaceX to create an artwork that would be sent to the International Space Station in the shuttle Crew Dragon to entertain the astronauts aboard, and return to Earth with the crew. The work, titled Human Kind and made of gold, brass, and aluminum, features collages of popular culture in Eaton's idiosyncratic style.{{Cite news |last=Duffy |first=Maggie |title=SpaceX commissioned this artist for the space station. He also painted a mural in Tampa. |url=https://www.tampabay.com/arts-entertainment/arts/visual-arts/2020/06/02/spacex-commissioned-this-artist-for-the-space-station-he-also-painted-a-mural-in-tampa/ |newspaper=Tampa Bay Times |date=June 2, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220924155141/https://www.tampabay.com/arts-entertainment/arts/visual-arts/2020/06/02/spacex-commissioned-this-artist-for-the-space-station-he-also-painted-a-mural-in-tampa/ |archive-date=September 24, 2022 |access-date=May 25, 2023 |url-status=live }}

In the summer of 2013, Eaton painted the mural I was a Botox Junkie in the corner of Traction and East Third streets in the Arts District of Los Angeles.{{Cite web |url=https://www.tristaneaton.com/#/eastward/ |title='I Was a Botox Junkie' (Los Angeles, CA) |website=TristanEaton.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230406101830/https://www.tristaneaton.com/ |archive-date=April 6, 2023 |access-date=May 25, 2023 |url-status=live }}{{Cite magazine |first=Amy Newlove |last=Schroeder |url=https://www.lamag.com/culturefiles/valentines-day-take-guided-tour-l-s-street-art-beau/|title=Take Your Beau on a Guided Tour of L.A.'s Street Art This Valentine's Day |magazine=Los Angeles |date=February 10, 2015 |location=Los Angeles |publisher=Engine Vision Media |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230206190643/https://www.lamag.com/culturefiles/valentines-day-take-guided-tour-l-s-street-art-beau/ |archive-date=February 6, 2023 |access-date=May 24, 2023 |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |first=G. James |last=Daichendt

|url=https://www.kcet.org/shows/artbound/tristan-eatons-playground |title=Tristan Eaton's Playground |date=November 19, 2014 |website=KCET |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200929074347/https://www.kcet.org/shows/artbound/tristan-eatons-playground |archive-date=September 29, 2020 |access-date=May 24, 2023 |url-status=live }} Also in 2013, Eaton created the mural Audrey of Mulberry in Little Italy, Manhattan, depicting the legendary actress and fashion icon Audrey Hepburn.{{cite news |last=Swalec |first=Andrea |work=DNAinfo |url=https://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/20130821/nolita/audrey-hepburn-mural-brightens-mulberry-street |title=Audrey Hepburn Mural Brightens Mulberry Street |date=August 21, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160131072123/https://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/20130821/nolita/audrey-hepburn-mural-brightens-mulberry-street |archive-date=January 31, 2016 |access-date=May 24, 2023 |url-status=live }}

In 2014, Eaton painted a six-story public mural of Alexander Graham Bell, titled the Spirit of Communication, in West Palm Beach, Florida.{{cite news |last=Frías |first=Carlos |title=15 days, 600 cans of spray paint — L.A. artist puts his tag on downtown West Palm's skyline |url=https://www.palmbeachpost.com/story/lifestyle/2014/04/12/15-days-600-cans-spray/6850782007/ |work=The Palm Beach Post |date=April 12, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220703090338/https://www.palmbeachpost.com/story/lifestyle/2014/04/12/15-days-600-cans-spray/6850782007/ |archive-date=July 3, 2022 |access-date=May 24, 2023 |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |url=https://www.sun-sentinel.com/local/palm-beach/fl-west-palm-beach-wall-collapse-20160303-story.html |title=Piece of building mural falls onto law office in downtown West Palm Beach, injuring 4 |first=Attiyya |last=Anthony |date=March 4, 2016 |work=Sun Sentinel |access-date=July 22, 2023 }} {{subscription required}} On March 3, 2016, part of the wall that the mural was painted on collapsed. The entire wall and mural was demolished the same year.{{Cite news |last=Lordi |first=Laura |url=https://www.palmbeachpost.com/story/entertainment/local/2016/04/06/west-palm-facade-torn-down/7242725007/ |title=West Palm facade torn down: How Alexander Lofts mural was created |work=The Palm Beach Post |date=April 6, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230524180550/https://www.palmbeachpost.com/story/entertainment/local/2016/04/06/west-palm-facade-torn-down/7242725007/ |archive-date=May 24, 2023 |access-date=May 24, 2023 |url-status=live }}

Also in 2014, Eaton painted a large mural of Napoleon Bonaparte for the Nuit Blanche Festival in Paris, France. The work is based on the painting Napoleon Crossing the Alps by Jacques-Louis David and prominently features the words "The Revolution Will Be Trivialized".{{Cite web |title=Tristan Eaton paints a giant Napoleon in Paris, France |url=https://streetartnews.net/2014/10/tristan-eaton-paints-giant-napoleon-in.html |date=October 4, 2014 |website=Street Art News |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141007053951/https://streetartnews.net/2014/10/tristan-eaton-paints-giant-napoleon-in.html |archive-date=October 7, 2014 |access-date=May 26, 2023 |url-status=live }}

In 2015, Eaton executed a commissioned mural for the Long Beach Museum of Art as part of the exhibition Vitality and Verve: Transforming the Urban Landscape.{{Cite web |url=https://www.lbma.org/long-beach-museum-of-art-to-open-new-exhibition-vitality-and-verve-transforming-the-urban-landscape-on-june-26/ |title=Long Beach Museum of Art to Open New Exhibition Vitality and Verve: Transforming the Urban Landscape on June 26 - Long Beach Museum of Art |date=May 14, 2015 |website=LBMA.org |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221126192748/https://www.lbma.org/long-beach-museum-of-art-to-open-new-exhibition-vitality-and-verve-transforming-the-urban-landscape-on-june-26/ |archive-date=November 26, 2022 |access-date=May 24, 2023 |url-status=live }}

In 2019, Eaton's Monster Mural, featuring Frankenstein, his Bride, and Dracula, along with other characters, was commissioned by and installed at Universal Studios, Los Angeles.{{Cite news |last=Couch |first=Aaron |title=Universal Unveils Massive Monster Mural on Studio Lot |magazine=The Hollywood Reporter |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/universal-unveils-giant-monster-mural-studio-lot-1187388 |date=February 19, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221130013725/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/universal-unveils-giant-monster-mural-studio-lot-1187388/ |archive-date=November 30, 2022 |access-date=May 24, 2023 |url-status=live }} In that same year, Eaton executed a 100-foot mural of the legendary actress and model Evelyn Nesbit on the 236 Fifth Avenue building in Manhattan, New York City titled The Gilded Lady.{{Cite magazine |url=https://hauteliving.com/2019/06/tristan-eaton/671334/ |title=One-On-One With Tristan Eaton On His "The Gilded Lady" Mural On Fifth Avenue In NYC |date=June 26, 2019 |magazine=Haute Living |location=Miami |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220630160710/https://hauteliving.com/2019/06/tristan-eaton/671334/ |archive-date=June 30, 2022 |access-date=May 24, 2023 |url-status=live }}{{Cite news |last=Bellafante |first=Ginia |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/10/nyregion/evelyn-nesbit-stanford-white.html |title=The 100-Foot Gibson Girl: A Symbol of Abuse, then and Now |newspaper=The New York Times |date=May 10, 2019 |access-date=August 5, 2023 }} {{subscription required}}

In 2020, in Highland Park, Los Angeles, a vandal defaced a mural Eaton made depicting Martin Luther King Jr. In response, Eaton painted an image of a smiling Malcolm X to replace the original image.{{Cite news |last=Sheridan |first=Jake |date=June 24, 2020 |newspaper=The Los Angeles Times |title=Tristan Eaton's Highland Park mural of MLK was defaced. He repainted Malcolm X |url=https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-06-24/tristan-eatons-highland-park-mural-of-mlk-was-defaced-he-repainted-malcolm-x |access-date=May 26, 2023 }}{{subscription required}}

In 2021, the Long Beach Museum of Art held a 25-year retrospective of Eaton's work titled "All At Once".{{Cite episode |last=Booker |first=Christopher |title=Street artist and designer Tristan Eaton's global canvas |date=June 12, 2021 |url=https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/street-artist-and-designer-tristan-eatons-global-canvas |network=PBS |series=PBS News Weekend |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210612233454/https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/street-artist-and-designer-tristan-eatons-global-canvas |archive-date=June 12, 2021 |access-date=May 27, 2023 |url-status=live }}

In 2019, Eaton sued an Ottawa, Canada real estate developer for using a cropped image of Audrey of Mulberry in the promotional material for a student residence. This case highlighted the legal gray area between copyright ownership of street art and the commercial use of images of public spaces.{{Cite news |last=Hannay |first=Chris |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/art-and-architecture/article-ottawa-real-estate-developers-face-lawsuit-from-los-angeles-street/ |title=Ottawa real estate developers face lawsuit from Los Angeles street artist |date=November 19, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191119160809/https://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/art-and-architecture/article-ottawa-real-estate-developers-face-lawsuit-from-los-angeles-street/ |newspaper=The Globe and Mail |archive-date=November 19, 2019 |access-date=May 24, 2023 |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |last=Macdonald |first=Nikki |work=Stuff |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/arts/119780918/street-art--public-property-or-copyrighted-art |title=Street art - public property or copyrighted art? |date=March 3, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230113161240/https://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/arts/119780918/street-art--public-property-or-copyrighted-art |archive-date=January 13, 2023 |access-date=May 24, 2023 |url-status=live }} This case was settled in 2021 with a public apology by the developer and a stipulation to refrain from ever using the image for commercial purposes.{{Cite web |last=Olijnyk |first=Zena |url=https://www.canadianlawyermag.com/practice-areas/intellectual-property/lawyer-paul-bain-on-the-love-of-art-and-art-law/366706 |title=Lawyer Paul Bain on the love of art – and art law |date=May 17, 2022 |website=Canadian Lawyer |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220518074601/https://www.canadianlawyermag.com/practice-areas/intellectual-property/lawyer-paul-bain-on-the-love-of-art-and-art-law/366706 |archive-date=May 18, 2022 |access-date=May 24, 2023 |url-status=live }}

Eaton's work is included in the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art in New York City.{{Cite web |url=https://www.moma.org/artists/32734 |title = Tristan Eaton |website=The Museum of Modern Art |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221129010506/https://www.moma.org/artists/32734 |archive-date=November 29, 2022 |access-date=May 23, 2023 |url-status=live }}

{{Reflist}}

• PBS News Hour Weekend: [https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/street-artist-and-designer-tristan-eatons-global-canvas Street artist and designer Tristan Eaton's global canvas] reported: Jun 12, 2021

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Category:1978 births

Category:Living people

Category:American graffiti artists

Category:People from Hollywood, Los Angeles

Category:American toy designers

Category:21st-century American male artists