Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
San Francisco's Murals
San Francisco is proud of its reputation as a
culturally rich and cosmopolitan city, qualities
evident in the vivid elaborate murals that decorate
walls and fences in several areas of the city. Many
were painted in the 1930s, and many more in the
1970s, with some appearing spontaneously while
others were commissioned. One of the best is the
Carnaval Mural
on 24th Street in the Mission District
(see p140)
; further examples are shown here.
503 Law O
ce at Dolores and 18th streets
Past and Present
Some of the best examples of San Francisco's historical mural art can
be found inside Coit Tower, where a series of panels, funded during
the Great Depression of the 1930s by President Roosevelt's
New Deal program, is typical of the period. Many local
artists participated in creating the work, and themes
include the struggles of the working class and the rich
resources of California. The city has since been decorated
with a number of modern murals, most notably by the
Precita Eyes Mural Arts Studio.
Detail from Coit Tower mural focuses
on California's rich resources
Coit Tower mural
showing life during
the Depression years
Precita Eyes Mural Arts
Association
is a community-
based organization that seeks to
promote the mural arts through
collaborative projects. They also
sponsor new murals by
established artists and run lively
mural tours around San Francisco.
Balloon
Journey
,
Precita Eyes
Mosaic mural (2007) by Precita Eyes,
Hillcrest school
This mural
was designed and painted by AYPAL (Asian Pacific Islander Youth
Promoting Advocacy and Leadership) students in 2007, in association with
Precita Eyes. The organization runs a number of community and youth
workshops, which produce between 15 and 30 new murals every year.
Visitors can see examples of these throughout the Bay Area.
Stop the Violence
at
1212 Broadway
#400, Oakland
