You’ve probably been hearing the words “Green New Deal” in this election cycle. The term describes a series of policy changes and legislation to address the climate crisis, modeled loosely on President Roosevelt’s New Deal of the 1930s that helped pull the country out of the Great Depression.
One thing Roosevelt’s New Deal did was to pay artists to create murals and prints promoting civic engagement, public health, education and the arts. Some of those murals still live today in San Francisco: in the lobby of Coit Tower, as just one example, or at the old Rincon Annex Post Office.
Now, artists have brought the Green New Deal to colorful life in a new exhibition of art in San Francisco. Some of it looks like the WPA style of New Deal murals, some like Victory Garden posters, some like war bonds advertisements. But instead, it promotes a more responsible approach to climate, renewable energy, and green jobs. The exhibition runs through March, with special events and panels every Friday, at Canessa Gallery in the North Beach neighborhood of San Francisco. Details here.—Gabe Meline
