New Poster Series by Colin Choy Kimzey Explores Asian American Histories and Collective Memory

SAN FRANCISCO, April 10, 2026 – The San Francisco Arts Commission (SFAC) is pleased to announce the second installation of the 2026 Art on Market Street Poster Series, titled Dreaming People’s History, by San Francisco-based artist Colin Choy Kimzey.

Dreaming People’s History will be displayed along Market Street, between 7th and Steuart streets, at 15 SFMTA transit shelters through summer 2026.

Commissioned around the 2026 program theme, Now & Then: Living Memories, Kimzey’s posters examine how Asian American histories have been actively constructed, remembered, and carried forward through collective action, storytelling, and cultural production. Drawing from archival research and community-based histories, the works highlight the role of artists, writers, and organizers in shaping a shared political and cultural identity.

“Artist Colin Choy Kimzey’s work reminds us that many histories remain unseen, and that we each have a role in bringing those stories to light,” said Ralph Remington, Director of Cultural Affairs. “Through these vibrant poster designs, Kimzey uplifts stories of resistance, solidarity, and cultural production that have shaped San Francisco and the broader Asian American experience. In doing so, he transforms Market Street into a living public space for reflection, learning, and connection.”

Working across printmaking traditions rooted in silkscreen, Kimzey’s designs draw inspiration from the visual language of movement-based poster art, including those produced during the Third World Liberation Front strikes and global revolutionary movements. The series traces key moments and figures in Asian American history, foregrounding the intergenerational efforts to reclaim and preserve stories often excluded from dominant narratives.

The posters highlight themes and histories including:

• Third World Liberation Front (TWLF) – honoring the student-led strikes at San Francisco State University and UC Berkeley that established ethnic studies and catalyzed the Asian American Movement
• Manongs – recognizing Filipino laborers and the intergenerational storytelling that preserved their histories of migration and labor organizing
• Angel Island – reflecting on the poetic inscriptions of detained Chinese immigrants and the efforts to preserve the site as a historical landmark
• Japanese American Incarceration – acknowledging the impact of World War II incarceration camps and their influence on generations of artists and activists
• Combined Asian American Resource Project (CARP) – celebrating the recovery and republication of foundational Asian American literary works

“History is not just an inert, inherited past. It is a creative act in the present,” said artist Colin Choy Kimzey. “This project reflects on how Asian American identity and history were shaped through collective struggle, and how artists and organizers worked to uncover and connect the stories that continue to define our communities today.”

Born and raised in San Francisco, Kimzey is an interdisciplinary conceptual artist and researcher whose work explores histories of migration, labor, urban development, and radical politics. Through site-specific inquiries and long-term engagement with activist organizations, his practice bridges past and present, emphasizing history as a living and evolving process.

The 2026 Art on Market Street Poster Series, Now & Then: Living Memories, highlights previously unrecorded, newly unearthed, and unconventional San Francisco histories. Other artists featured this year include Adrian Arias, Amir Khadar, and Vida Kuang. For more information about the Art on Market Street Poster Series, visit sfartscommission.org/artonmarketstreet.

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About the Artist
Colin Choy Kimzey is an interdisciplinary conceptual artist and researcher born and raised in Yelamu (San Francisco), occupied Ramaytush Ohlone territory. Working across printmaking, installation, and curatorial and pedagogical projects, he creates site-specific inquiries into histories of migration, labor, urban development, and radical politics through silkscreen and long-term relationships with historic and present-day activist organizations.

About the Art on Market Street Poster Series
The San Francisco Arts Commission has commissioned new artworks from artists on an annual basis since 1992 in partnership with the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) and Clear Channel. Now in its 33rd year, the program has partnered with over 130 artists since its inception, commissioning over $1.2 million worth of art, showcasing a wide breadth of artistic styles, themes and topics centered around San Francisco. Up to four artists are commissioned annually by the Arts Commission to create a series of at least six unique works of art that responds to a theme specific to San Francisco. To learn more, visit sfartscommission.org/artonmarketstreet

About the San Francisco Arts Commission 
The San Francisco Arts Commission is the City agency that champions the arts as essential to daily life by investing in a vibrant arts community, enlivening the urban environment and shaping innovative cultural policy. Our programs include: Civic Art Collection, Civic Design Review, Community Investments, Public Art, SFAC Galleries, and Art Vendor Licensing. To learn more, visit sfartscommission.org.