In September 2020, Art House SF had our second Art Exhibit in San Francisco. We've participated in SuperFine SF 2020 before, and that was super fun, right before the Coronavirus pandemic came to visit us.
But this time, we were hosting a month-long art exhibition in the historic Mission District.
And you've never been to the Mission, it's a trip, in a good way :)
Parts of it is definitely Latin America.
Parts of it is a hipster heaven.
Parts of its is a homeless land.
And all of it lively, vibrant, in-your-face neighborhood.
One of a kind, One of the San Francisco kind.
Mission Murals Tours
So what can be more "Mission" than its totally unique, one-of-the-kind murals? Typically, Precita Eyes is organizing History Mural Tours, but unfortunately, they had to cancel them during the pandemic. So, not a problem, we gathered a group of friends and decided to explore the Mission on our own!
This approximate route covers most of the Mission from the southern corner to the northern corner. Yes, it is a bit of a walk (up to 2 hours), but it was totally worth it!
The Woman's Building
Our first stop is the Women's Building, and if you haven't seen it, it is a must. It was built in 1910 by German immigrants and became the San Francisco Women's Center in 1973. In 1994, seven women artists painted the majestic MastestraPeace mural that covers the entire facade of the building, as well as the interior entrance hall and the stairway. It features images of feminine icons from history and fiction and the names of more than 600 women written in calligraphy.
Clarion Alley
Our next stop is Clarion Alley, a small street between Mission and Valencia Streets and 17th and 18th Streets in San Francisco. The Clarion Alley Mural Project is the Mission artists collective made the murals in Clarion Alley possible. Murals here are centered around issues such as gentrification, police brutality, LGBTQ rights, social justice, global warming, and many others.
The Last Black Man in San Francisco house
Our next step is the house prominently featured in the Last Black Man in San Francisco movie. In my personal opinion, the best film of 2019 and one of the best movies ever about San Francisco. The house is a beautiful example of the Queen Anne house architecture so common found in San Francisco, also informally called a "Witch House".
Balmy Alley
Balmy Alley is our last stop at the intersection of South Van Ness and 25th Street. This is where it all started with Las Mujeres Muralistas (the Muralist Women), who turned this quiet alley into the open-air museum in 1973.
If you get a chance, you absolutely must visit the Mission and see the murals for yourself.
And ping me if you have any questions.
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