Nevada artist Erik Burke has a portfolio that spans the globe. His talent and dedication have earned him a place in the book “Street Art: The Best Urban Art from Around the World.” Over the past 20 years, Erik Burke, also known as OUPublicworks, has created compelling artworks from Ukraine to Haiti to South Korea, with over 100 murals adorning his hometown of Reno. Now he has one in Utah.

For the 3rd annual Los Muros on Main, in Midvale City, Burke has painted the entire south side of Big Mountain Barbell, a personal training facility located at 741 W Smelter St. The artwork, featuring bold geometric patterns in shades of blue and white with the phrase “POTENTIAL IS JUST HALF,” is a visual exploration of the concept of potential. Burke explains, “As an artist, we look at a lot of walls with many people and clients and discuss the potential of how to transform space. There is much dreaming and speculation. But potential bears invisible fruit without love and labor.” The artist has incorporated the power lines that will obstruct just about any view of the full mural into his composition—which features a dozen or more pigeons perched on and flying from a wire. He describes it as a companion piece to another mural he completed in St. Louis nearly a decade ago.

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In Plain Site

With our In Plain Site byline we feature publicly viewable art, both official and street art, throughout the state of Utah.