Inside the gallery on the second floor of the Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts, 65 original posters are hung side-by-side on every wall. From local events like the campaigns against gentrification to international politics like the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the selection celebrating 46 years of printmaking covers everything from art to war to local movements — all produced by Mission Gráfica.
The printmaking studio at the cultural center has been creating posters for cultural and political events since 1977, predating its official establishment in 1982. An exhibition that opened May 5 and will be up through June 25 showcases those posters and launches a new book, “Mission Gráfica: Reflecting a Community in Print.”
Screenprinting is “what is used in protests, in movements … it’s how we communicate to the world,” said Martina Ayala, the executive director of the cultural center.
“Every culture and every organization has come to print their posters, so we have this immense collection,” said Ayala. What is on display now is “just a very small sample of Gráfica.”
The exhibit was curated by one of the Mission’s master printers, Juan Fuentes, 73, assisted by Calixto Robles and the center’s curatorial team.
“I was looking for older posters that announced various social events and political events,” said Fuentes, “and then also I was looking for fine-art prints that were just visually stunning and powerful.”
Fuentes went through the collections at the cultural center and realized that “there were still a lot of gaps” because some posters are not readily available or are archived elsewhere. He tried to bridge that gap with private collections from himself and a few other artists.
“I did my best,” he said.
The entire right-hand wall upon entry to the gallery is dedicated to female artists, some of whom worked or printed at Mission Gráfica. “It was called ‘Nueve Mujeres,’” said Fuentes of the portfolio of women artists that he had once put together. “Nine Women,” he translated.
“I was able to at least find about four or five of the posters from the women’s portfolio and I showcased it,” he said.
Fuentes also highlighted a portrait created by Sal Garcia of Ralph Maradiaga, a Mission artist who cofounded Galería de la Raza and was part of the San Francisco Bay Area Chicano Art Movement.
“Things like that,” Fuentes said, “I tried to select and make sure that they were part of the exhibit.”
As a Chicano artist and one of the major artists at Mission Gráfica, Fuentes also included a personal favorite work of his own, titled “Many Mandelas,” featuring five head portraits of Nelson Mandela. “It speaks about the struggle in South Africa and an individual who’s been an inspiration for a lot of people,” he explained.
Fuentes said he would encourage people to visit and see the exhibit because “it really showcases what’s come out of the community at a certain time period.”
Unlike a regular printer that automatically prints from a computerized order, screen printing requires artists to hand-press ink onto paper over a mesh screen. Every different color needs a separate pressing.
Then why don’t people just print with a printer that is quicker and easier?
“Well, you don’t get the same quality,” said Fuentes, “and the inks are much richer, the colors just bright and beautiful.”
Now it remains a form of craft that appeals to artists and children. Occasionally, it is also used commercially. “There’re still signs that get printed,” said Fuentes, referring to some store and street signs.
Also new at the gallery: LED lights that can be adjusted to project a precise gleam on every art piece on the wall, the first new lights the gallery has had in three decades.
“We haven’t had new lights here for over 30 years,” Ayala said with excitement, pausing the interview and taking a photo of the worker who was adjusting the lights.
Those lights will remain on for the Mission Gráfica “46 Years” exhibition until June 25. The gallery is open Tuesday through Friday from 2 to 8 p.m., Saturday and Sunday from 12 to 5 p.m., and by appointment.
And Mission Gráfica continues to give classes at the cultural center.
Mission Gráfica exhibition at Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts. Photo by Lingzi Chen, taken May 10. 
“Palestina Será Libre” created by Jesus Barraza in 2001. Photo by Lingzi Chen, taken May 10. 
Posters exhibited at Mission Cultural Center of Latino Arts. Photo by Lingzi Chen, taken on May 10, 2023. 
Poster created by Favianna Rodriguez in 2001. Photo by Lingzi Chen, taken May 10. 
“AMERIKKKA’S WALL OF SHAME” created by Francisco Dominguez in 2011. Photo by Lingzi Chen, taken May 10, 2023.