This exhibition explores the artistic practice of one of San Francisco’s most beloved and significant cultural figures: Lawrence Ferlinghetti (1919–2021). Best known as a poet, activist, publisher, and cofounder of City Lights Bookstore, Ferlinghetti also developed a deeply personal visual practice, working with the same restless energy and conviction that defined his writing.

An avid painter, draftsman, and printmaker, he moved fluidly across mediums, creating works that are often figurative and frequently shaped by nautical motifs. Throughout his practice, Ferlinghetti brings image and text into close dialogue, using this hybrid language to explore themes of isolation, violence, and human resilience with both intimacy and urgency.

Featuring artworks drawn entirely from our works on paper collection, the exhibition highlights Ferlinghetti’s dynamic achievements in printmaking. It presents a focused selection of works produced through etching, lithography, and letterpress, offering a closer look at the formal inventiveness and expressive power of his graphic work.