Mission District artwork

click photo for full-size image
photo by Donald Kinney

I always have to stop and gaze a good long while at this collage inside a gallery window on 24th Street, not far from well-known Balmy Alley.

This is only a fragment of the whole collage -- someone spent a good amount of time clipping and arranging the little line-drawn portraits from the pages of the Chronicle.



click photo for full-size image
photo by Donald Kinney

I suppose photographers and artists could have an endless debate about which alley has the best murals -- Clarion or Balmy, but I discovered another alley; Lilac, which is also outstanding.

It's all there for everyone to see -- poignant examples of the many phases of emotion, from celebration to pathos. Historical depictions of the class struggle. No shortage of oppression going on in some of these murals.



click photo for full-size image
photo by Donald Kinney

The Mission is well known for its murals initiated by the Chicano Art Mural Movement of the 1970s and inspired by the traditional Mexican paintings made famous by the likes of Diego Rivera.

Today it is surprising how many murals decorate the Mission District. In the late 1960's I worked at a job in the area and didn't notice nearly as many murals at that time.



click photo for full-size image
photo by Donald Kinney

There is a whole series of these nicely executed panels -- they are on the façade of the Cesar Chavez Elementary School.



click photo for full-size image
photo by Donald Kinney

On the left, a story of a struggle.

And on the right, on the side of the S.F. Women's Building on 18th Street, is a historical depiction of what appears to be a mystical and mighty event.



CLICK to visit my Daily-Duo.
CLICK to visit KittyBLOG -- the daily doings of my cat.
CLICK for what I call my BIG site.


Your comments are invited and welcome.