by Jonathan Farrer
Susan Cervantes
Precita Eyes Muralists were ecstatic at their annual fundraising gala at SOMArts Cultural Center on Sept. 19, while founder Susan Cervantes and her staff had much to celebrate for, as the mood was festive as well as reflective. Their new book, Street Art San Francisco: Mission Muralismo, has just been published.
“This book was over 12 years in the making and took over a year to get published,” said Cervantes, briefly mentioning how difficult it was to find a publisher.
With 600 stunning photographs, this comprehensive book showcases more than three decades of street art in the Mission District. Precita Eyes was responsible for raising about $50,000 to get the book together, Cervantes told El Reportero amid a full house crowd at the gala.
Despite difficulties and set backs the full-color hardbound book published by Abrams Press and edited by Annice Jacoby with a forward by award-winning musician Carlos Santana, is getting raving reviews.
“This book is fabulous,” said Mission Merchant Association member Jean Feilmoser. “Yet I just wish the locations of the murals featured were included.”
Feilmoser features the murals on walking tours of the Mission.
There are books out there that chronicle the history of murals. “But there is nothing really definitive about the mural art history of San Francisco,” said Cervantes.
In 1977 she and her late husband Luis founded Precita Eyes Muralists named after the park where they lived
“There were no community art projects (back then) as we know them today.” Cervantes said. “Where we lived near Precita Park in the Mission there was nothing,” she added.
“We didn’t know that what we founded initially for our own needs at the time would grow, going so far and lasting this long.” Details: http://www.abramsbooks.com.
