Unidentified artist, Mission Community Mural Map, mid 1970s. Reproduction of an original map in the collection of Michael Nolan. Courtesy of Galería de la Raza

Embarking on a Mural Tour

The Mission Community Mural Map provides directions to virtually tour the past and consider the origins of this remarkably creative and colorful reimagination of the city. Each mural listed reflected diverse aesthetics and approaches, but several muralists collaborated on more than one of these sites, as can be seen in this expanded list in chronological, rather than geographic, order.

1. Horizons Unlimited, by Manuel “Spain” Rodriguez, Rubén Guzmán, Jésus “Chuy” Campusano, and Bob Cuff, 3001 22nd Street (interior and exterior), completed early 1972.
2. Mission Rebels, by Bob Cuff, Jésus “Chuy” Campusano, Gerald “Jerry” Concha, Robert Crumb, and Rubén Guzmán, 674 South Van Ness, completed early 1972.
3. MCO or Rat Race, by Michael Ríos, painted on the Mission Coalition Organization and Neighborhood Legal Aid office, 2701 Folsom, completed June 1972.
4. Balmy Alley Murals encompassed multiple works. Mia Galaviz de Gonzalez, as director of 24th Street Place, an arts and education project, procured funding and launched a mural project with children of the neighborhood. She enlisted volunteer artists to help teach mural art in Balmy Alley, beginning with the wall of the Mission Neighborhood Center in the summer of 1972. Patricia Rodriguez and Graciela Carrillo created an untitled mural further down the alley around the same time using paints from the 24th Street Place mural project. Irene Pérez added Flute Players slightly later. Ralph Maradiaga also painted a mural in the alley around this time.
5. Jamestown, by Patricia Rodriguez, Consuelo Méndez, Graciela Carrillo, Jésus “Chuy” Campusano, Rubén Guzmán, Jerome Pasias, Elizabeth Raz, Michael Ríos, and Tom Ríos, Jamestown Community Center, 180 Fair Oaks Street at 23rd, completed c. late 1972 to early 1973.
6. Model Cities, also known as Latino America (or Latinoamérica or Panamérica), by Patricia Rodriguez, Graciela Carrillo, Consuelo Méndez, and Irene Pérez, with assistance from Ruth “Tuty” Rodríguez, Miriam Olivo, Ester Hernández, and Xochitl Nevel-Guerrero, at 2950 Mission Street, unveiled May 31, 1974.
7. B of A Mural, also known as Homage to Siqueiros, by Jésus “Chuy” Campusano (chief designer), Luis Cortazar (assistant designer), Michael Ríos (color coordinator), with assistance from Jaime Carrillo, Candice Ho, Julio Lopez, Anthony Machado, Jack Navarez, and with Emmy Lou Packard as technical advisor, inside the Bank of America, Mission and 22nd, unveiled June 4, 1974.
8. 24th Street Mini-Park Mural, or Quetzalcoatl, the first of several murals in the park by Michael Ríos, Anthony “Tony” Machado, and Richard Montez, completed prior to August 1974.
9. Paco’s Tacos, also known as Para el Mercado, by Graciela Carrillo, Consuelo Méndez, Susan Cervantes, and Miriam Olivo, South Van Ness and 24th, unveiled September 15, 1974. The map’s reference to a separate Taqueria mural is unclear.