The San Francisco State campus has seventeen murals created by different artists. Eleven of the murals pay homage to historically oppressed peoples.
SFSU promotes diversity and raises awareness of marginalized groups in order for every voice to be heard. The murals on campus are visible evidence of this statement. The location of the murals is true to the topics illustrated in the murals. The Fine Arts building has a mural on dance, while the Cesar Chavez Student Center, named after a civil rights activist, has murals on racial and social issues. The Cesar Chavez mural represents the Latino Americans, the Malcolm X mural represents Black struggle against anti-Black oppression and the Asian-Pacific Islander mural represents the history of AAPI community struggles. Each mural paints a story that is not always given its due importance in history. The bold art provides a platform for unafraid, loud voices to tell their experience. Their large size and bright colors demand attention from a passersby. The murals in Cesar Chavez inform the public of the social and racial battles in the past that are still relevant today.
Featured murals
17 Murals on Campus
"We Are Still Here"
Artist: Jacqueline Medez, Marc Nicely & Larry Sallaway
Location: exterior of Cesar Chavez Student Center
Date: 2009
Description: It is a tribute to Bay Area Native Americans, men and women, that have experienced oppression. It also alludes to the Native American 19-month occupation of Alcatraz Island.
"Edward Said Mural"
Artist: Fayeq Oweis & Susan Greene
Location: exterior of Cesar Chavez Student Center
Date: 2007
Description: It represents Palestinian culture and honors professor Edward Said who was an activist against Orientalism.
"We Stand on Their Shoulders"
Artist: James Garcia, André Sibayan and others.
Location: exterior of Cesar Chavez Student Center
Date: 2003
Description: This mural symbolizes the struggle that the Filipino people faced in the US and their call for equality.
"Cesar Chavez Mural"
Artist: G Gonzalez
Location: exterior of Cesar Chavez Student Center
Date: 1994
Description: It honors Cesar Chavez who fought for civil rights and co-founded the National Farm Workers Association.
"Malcolm X Mural: By Any Means Necessary"
Artist: Eric Norberg and Kamau Ayubbi
Location: exterior of Cesar Chavez Student Center
Date: 1996
Description: It honors Malcolm X who was an African American human rights activist leader during the Civil Rights Movement. Norberg and Ayubbi's Malcolm X Mural replaced the original University-commissioned Malcolm X mural, painted by Senay Dennis, aka Rafa One, in 1994. Rafa One's 1994 mural was instantly controversial due to imagery that was deemed antisemitic by administrators and some students. After a contentious standoff, Rafa One's 1994 mural was sandblasted and ultimately replaced.
"Incarceration to Liberation/De la Encarcelacion a la Liberacion"
Artist: Juana Alicia
Location: Cesar Chavez Student Center, upper level
Date: 2018
Description: It demonstrates the difficult transition of formerly imprisoned people into society or university, including injustices that occur on the way, and successes achieved through positive intervention. Overseen by artist, activist, and educator Juana Alicia, Incarceration to Liberation is the result of a student-led project involving SFSU's Project Rebound, members of the SFSU community, and the True Colors Mural Project of Berkeley City College. SFSU's Project Rebound Program (1967) supports "the formerly incarcerated on their journey through successful reintegration in a college setting".
"Communiversidad"
Artist: Ray Patlán and many other student artists from SFSU
Location: Cesar Chavez Student Center, lower level
Date: 1977
Description: It celebrates the community at SFSU and represents harmony as it was created by a variety of students at SFSU.
"Roots of Freedom/Raíces de Libertad"
Artist: Miranda Bergman, Raul Valdez, and Ambray Gonzales
Location: Cesar Chavez Student Center, lower level
Date: 1990
Description: This mural brings to light many local and national issues but with a hope for a better future.
"Libre, Libre, Libre"
Artist: Juana Alicia
Location: Cesar Chavez Student Center, lower level
Date: 1990
Description: It represents the rise and liberation of Latin American men and women.
"The Cross of Quetzalcoatl"
Artist: Precita Eyes Muralists
Location: Cesar Chavez Student Center, lower level
Date: 1991
Description: This mural maintains a traditional art and the name Quetzalcoatl is an ancient Mexican deity.
"Asian and Pacific Islander Mural"
Artist: David Cho and Albert Yip
Location: the south side of the Cesar Chavez Student Center's exterior
Date: 2004
Description: This mural tells the story of the Asian and Pacific Islander community that fought to have rights.
"Excursion in Tan Yuan"
Artist: original work by Fu Chuan-fu, installation in vinyl was done by Alvin Camidge (SFSU BA 2010)
Location: 2nd floor in Fine Arts building
Date: 1989, 2010
Description: The calligraphy on this mural is in cursive, which makes it hard to read, but the dramatic writing suggests the context of the text.
"Elebwa"
Artist: Rafael Queneditt Morales
Location: 2nd floor in Fine Arts building
Date: 1970
Description: This mural references Elegua a spirit of the Afrocuban religion Santeria, known for giving advice at crossroads.
"Dance Studio Theatre"
Artist: unknown
Location: entrance to the dance studio in the Creative Arts Building
Date: unknown
Description: This murals depicts a group of many dancers in a circle, possibly symbolizing how sharing a love for dance can bring unity.
"Casablanca"
Artist: unknown
Location: entrance to a lounge area in the Creative Arts building
Date: unknown
Description: This mural was cleverly placed as the painted door is an actual door leads to a long room.
"Treganza Anthropology Museum"
Artist: Eduardo Pineda
Location: in the Science building
Date: 1988
Description: This mural brings culture and art together since it puts art pieces, from different countries, in one mural.
"Unknown"
Artist: Yolanda
Date: unknown
Location: outside the Student Career Center
Description: It mural, painted on an electrical box, portrays the colors of spring.
References
Embretson, N. (n.d.). San Francisco Mural Project. Retrieved September 30, 2020, from https://righttoknow.sfsu.edu/muralproject
Johnson, Mark. “SF State Public Art Collection.” PDF file.
Lee Jolliffe, and Jonathan Skinner. Murals and Tourism. Taylor and Francis, 2017. Heritage, Politics and Identity. Web.
