This January, internationally acclaimed contemporary 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. The dual installation unveils January 18, 2026 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 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.”
"Art has the power to build bridges where walls once divided," said artist eL Seed. "These murals aren't about erasing the reality of incarceration. 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.
Painting Details
Date: January 8-18, 2026, as part of San Francisco Art Week
Location: San Quentin Rehabilitation Center & BroadwaySF’s Orpheum Theater, San Francisco
For more information and to get involved, visit: sanquentinskunkworks.org/mural-rsvp/
Project Partners
Big thanks to all partners who are bringing this to life with San Quentin SkunkWorks including Broadway SF, Building 180, Dunn-Edwards Paints, eL Seed Studio, Mid-Market Business Association & Foundation / Market Street Arts, Office of Economic and Workforce Development, Paint the Void, San Francisco Public Library, San Francisco Art Week and Urban Alchemy.
Media contact: press@sanquentinskunkworks.org
About San Quentin SkunkWorks
San Quentin SkunkWorks is a pioneering nonprofit innovation lab dedicated to transforming prison culture through collaborative programs that foster rehabilitation, respect, and safety, supporting California's progressive criminal justice reforms. For more information, visit sanquentinskunkworks.org and subscribe to the newsletter.
About eL Seed
eL Seed's monumental Arabic calligraphy has transformed the pyramids of Giza, Rio's favelas, and the Korean DMZ. His work is held in collections at The Metropolitan Museum of Art and Louvre Abu Dhabi. For this project, he brings his distinctive fusion of calligraphy and graffiti to create a testament to the human capacity for change.
Media Contact
Natalia Wodecki
Director of Communications, San Quentin SkunkWorks
n.wodecki@sanquentinskunkworks.org
