Ferlinghetti for San Francisco
Lawrence Ferlinghetti (1919–2021), Lovers at Sea, 1992. Lithograph, 20 x 26 in. (50.8 x 66.04 cm). Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, Gift of the Lawrence Ferlinghetti Artworks Trust, 2022.22.18 © Lawrence Ferlinghetti / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
This exhibition explores the artistic practice of one of San Francisco’s most beloved and significant cultural figures: Lawrence Ferlinghetti (1919–2021). A poet, activist, publisher, and cofounder of City Lights Bookstore, Ferlinghetti was also an avid painter, draftsman, and printmaker. His work across mediums — often figurative with nautical motifs — frequently combines image and text to delve into themes of isolation, violence, and human resilience. With artworks drawn entirely from our works on paper collection, this exhibition showcases Ferlinghetti’s dynamic work in printmaking, including etching, lithography, and letterpress.
Exhibition preview
In the news
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Peter Fish, Alta
Explores the visual art of a figure best known for his work as a poet, a political activist, and the founder of City Lights Bookstore.
Read, watch + listen
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Lawrence Ferlinghetti’s Life + Legacy
From the poet’s childhood to publishing the Beats at City Lights to his lasting legacy.
By Mauro Aprile Zanetti, author
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The Changing Light by Lawrence Ferlinghetti
Hear Lawrence Ferlinghetti read his poem on San Francisco’s ever-changing light.
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Living Poetry: My Time with Lawrence Ferlinghetti in San Francisco
How the City Lights founder taught us to fulfill our dreams and live with tenderness.
By Mauro Aprile Zanetti, author
Sponsors
Also on view
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The McCoy Jones Collection: Textiles from Central Asia and the Middle East
Through
de Young Exhibition