Six New Posters Featuring Artwork of Bay Area Indigenous Sacred Animals, Tagged With Their Traditional Names, Kicks Off 2024 Art on Market Street Poster Series
Eagle, Coyote, Bear, Hawk, Deer, and Otter, designed and illustrated in a vivid palette of neon hues by visual artist Jesse Hernandez now on view along Market Street
SAN FRANCISCO, March 22, 2024 – The San Francisco Arts Commission (SFAC) is thrilled to announce the installation of the first of multiple poster installments that have been commissioned for the 2024 Art on Market Street Poster Series program.
The posters will be on view along Market Street between 7th and Steuart streets at 15 SFMTA transit shelters through May/June 2024.
Bay Area based Indigenous artist Jesse Hernandez (Yaqui / Mexica) designed a series of six unique and vivid poster designs that depict animals sacred to the Indigenous cultures of the Bay Area.
The posters prominently feature each animal’s traditional names, in graffiti style script, in the native dialects of the area, which include: Chochenyo, Rumsen, Coast Miwok and Mutsun.
"The San Francisco Arts Commission is honored to showcase the culture and art of the Bay Area’s Native community as part of our 2024 Art on Market Street Poster Series,” said Ralph Remington, Director of Cultural Affairs. “Jesse Hernandez's vibrant posters help highlight native languages by featuring the traditional names of each animal in a modern and striking way that pays homage to the style of street art that helps bridge past and present.”
The six animals represented in this poster designs series, (along with the corresponding traditional name and language), include:
- Eagle: Šiirš (Rumsen Ohlone)
- Coyote: ‘oye (Coast Miwok)
- Bear: Oreš (Chochenyo Ohlone)
- Hawk: ‘ililik (Chochenyo Ohlone)
- Deer: Tooče (Chochenyo Ohlone)
- Otter: Šuuyuṭ (Mutsun & Chochenyo Ohlone)
For accuracy of the languages used in the poster series, Hernandez consulted with, and would like to thank, the Language Holders of the Confederated Villages of Lisjan, Sogorea Te Land Trust, and Tomales Bay Band of the Coast Miwok Tribe.
The posters also feature traditional basket weaving patterns incorporated into the design.
“The juxtaposition of culture and nature among the city streets will be a powerful contrast and inspire its viewers,” shared Jesse Hernandez in an artist statement. “As an Indigenous artist, it is important to honor our roots and preserve the culture for future generations.”
The 2024 Art on Market Street Poster Series theme is devoted to the San Francisco Bay Area Native Peoples. In addition to Jesse Hernandez, other artists that have been selected to be featured in the 2024 series include Kirti Bassendine and Calixto Robles.
The 2023 Art on Market Street theme, “Comics 2.0” was a continuation of the 2022 poster series theme based on the artistic medium of comics and featured the works of Peter and Maria Hoey, Rina Ayuyang, Minnie Phan and Triple Dream Comics.
On Saturday, April 6 from 4-6 p.m., the California College of the Arts (CCA) MFA in Comics Department will host a public reading of all 2023 Art on Market Street Poster Series comics at the Blattner Hall Multipurpose Room.
Each artist (or team of artists) will be in attendance and read their work. A brief Q&A session will follow. Prints of their poster series will be available for purchase and artists will be available to sign their works. For more information, visit: portal.cca.edu/events-calendar.
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About the Artist
Jesse Hernandez (@Urbanaztec) is a Indigenous visual artist (Yaqui / Mexica) born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area whose work honors the strength, and resilience of Indigenous culture. Hernandez, who is most widely recognized for his street art murals, vinyl figure lines, and diverse Illustration work, aims to preserve and shine a light on native traditions through a contemporary aesthetic. Hernandez has shown art in galleries and museums around the world. He has also painted murals in Oakland, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Mexico city and Amsterdam.
About the Art on Market Street Poster Series
The San Francisco Arts Commission has commissioned new artworks from artists on an annual basis since 1992 in partnership with the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) and Clear Channel. Now in its 31st year, the program has partnered with over 120 artists since its inception, commissioning over $1.2 million worth of art, showcasing a wide breadth of artistic styles, themes and topics centered around San Francisco. Up to four artists are commissioned annually by the Arts Commission to create a series of at least six unique works of art that responds to a theme specific to San Francisco. To learn more, visit sfartscommission.org/artonmarketstreet
About the San Francisco Arts Commission
The San Francisco Arts Commission is the City agency that champions the arts as essential to daily life by investing in a vibrant arts community, enlivening the urban environment and shaping innovative cultural policy. Our programs include: Civic Art Collection, Civic Design Review, Community Investments, Public Art, SFAC Galleries, and Art Vendor Licensing. To learn more, visit sfartscommission.org.