San Francisco '34 Waterfront Strike 1949

Anton Refregier’s print, titled San Francisco '34 Waterfront Strike, tells a story with shapes and colours, like memories layered on top of each other. The earthy reds and ochres mix with cool blues and greys; it must have been a process of carving, inking, pressing, each layer building on the last, as if a protest is made up of many voices. I imagine Refregier thinking hard about how to show the tension, the hope, and the struggle of those workers. Look at the hands reaching up, almost pleading, juxtaposed against the man in the suit behind the brick wall. It’s like he’s saying, “I see you, I feel you”. The 'Unity' sign held high is a reminder that art, like a strike, can bring people together, sparking conversations across time. We are all in dialogue through art. It is a process of exchange and inspiration. It is not about fixed answers but rather about the ongoing questions and possibilities that arise when we engage with the world through painting.