Diego Rivera Pan American Unity Mural

Great mural but closed for restoration. Can only see it from the sides through windows.

There are many elements that go into making a piece of public art successful. One of my favorite pieces which I consider to be a model of what a successful public art piece should be is the Pan America Unity Mural (1940) by Diego Rivera located at the City College of San Francisco. The work succeeds in multiple levels as a work of public art in how accessible it is to the general public, as well as the content it presents and how it reflects culturally the people and environment in which the work is based on. This work is also historically significant and reflects on the history and culture of the United States, and contains rich political undertones through out. This work pays tribute to key historical figures and moments through out California and U.S. history. All this creates a work that is rich with meaning and works on multiple levels.nnWhen contemplating which aspects make a public work of art successful, one of the first ones that come to mind is how assessable it is to the general public. Since this is a public work, not one that’s located in a gallery or museum, this aspect is a really important when judging how effect a piece is. When I learned that the Pan America Unity Mural was located at the City College of San Francisco, I had a bit of trepidation about visiting it. It seemed that since the mural was located inside a college, of which I wasn’t a student, that this might lead to a situation in which I would feel like I was imposing myself onto the campus. When I arrived at the campus, I was pleasantly surprised when everyone I talked to knew where on campus the mural was located, and provided me with directions. Once I got there, I was immediately taken aback by just how big the mural was, which measures as almost 1800 square feet. I also noticed a docent near by who was there to answer any questions that anybody had regarding the piece. At no time did I feel that I was being a nuisance to anyone. One of the other thoughts that came to mind, which signaled to me that the murals setting was successful, was when I started thinking about friends I could possibly bring with me next time I came to visit the mural.

The mural is a masterpiece and CCSF is lucky to have such a gem. It's big, beautiful, richly detailed, so artistic and historical, so of the Americas and of its time. The mural also contains so many secrets waiting to be revealed --- allusions to politics, people, pets, movies, mistresses, and more!

Must see before it's moved to SOMA.

Outstanding art experience. Thanks Vicky!