Calligraffiti Artist eL Seed Will Create Mural on the Orpheum Theatre

This January, internationally acclaimed calligraffiti artist eL Seed will make history by creating simultaneous murals inside San Quentin Rehabilitation Center and on the iconic BroadwaySF's Orpheum Theatre, physically linking incarcerated people with the outside community during SF Art Week.

The dual installation will begin on Thursday, January 8, with an unveiling taking place on Sunday, January 18 as part of Chiaroscuro: Light Within the Shadows, a groundbreaking initiative by San Quentin SkunkWorks—a non-profit innovation lab focused on prison reform through art and education in collaboration with California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR), in partnership with the Office of the Mayor of San Francisco, with support from Governor Gavin Newsom's Office. Chiaroscuro: Light Within the Shadows is an official participant of San Francisco Art Week 2026. 

“Art and culture are central to San Francisco's comeback, and we're committed to bringing world-class artists to our city,” said San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie. “Projects like San Quentin SkunkWorks' Chiaroscuro reflect the creative energy that defines San Francisco. We will continue to activate our public spaces and reinforce our city as a destination for art, culture, and innovation.” 
 
"These murals aren't about erasing the reality of incarceration,” said artist eL Seed. “They're about acknowledging the dignity of the individuals living it, recognizing their stories, and offering them the right to be seen, by those who love them, and by a world that too often looks away." 

The 332-foot prison wall and 75-foot theatre will become mirrors, quite literally looking into each other's eyes, as eL Seed's Arabic calligraphy transforms both structures with a line from Armistead Maupin's Tales of the City about honesty changing the world. This unprecedented project demonstrates how beauty and dignity can reshape institutional design when people inside lead the transformation.

Chiaroscuro is an incarcerated-led initiative that brings world-renowned artists to San Quentin, with profound results. The data is compelling: A growing body of research on arts‑in‑corrections shows that creative programs in prison settings improve self‑confidence, emotional stability, and social skills, and are linked to significant reductions in disciplinary incidents. By infusing San Quentin's 19th-century architectural landscape with light, color, beauty, and art, the project rehabilitates not just people, but the very spaces designed to confine them.

This initiative reflects the deep collaboration between state leadership and San Quentin's transformative programs, demonstrating California's commitment to reform through rehabilitation and creative innovation. Art and infrastructure become a visual language that builds connection between separated communities.

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