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Ester Hernández

b. 1944

Visual
Person 3

Ester Hernández is a visual artist and educator based in San Francisco. Her work often centralizes Latina and Native women, around themes of farm worker rights, feminized labor, and spiritual icons. Hernández’s iconic work has been integral to the NMMA founding and mission. The first piece accessioned into the Museum’s Permanent Collection was a print by Hernández.

Hernández has been credited with creating one of the first images to link the plight of farmworkers to effects on consumers and the environment.

Works in Our Collection

Art Listing

  • Works on Paper

    Ester Hernández

    La ofrenda (The Offering), 1988

    1993 43 Web
  • Works on Paper

    Ester Hernández

    Sun Mad, 1982

    1993 40 Web
  • Works on Paper

    Ester Hernández

    Puras papas, Pope Benedicto - the levi-tatter on his historic trip to Mexico - this spuds for you, Pope! (from the Posada Presente portfolio) (Pure Potatoes, Papa Benedicto - el levi-papita en su viaje histórico a México - ¡Esta papa es pa' ti, Papa! [de la carpeta Posada Presente]), 2013

    2014128 21 Web
  • 3-Dimensional Art

    Ester Hernández

    Sun Mad (ofrenda dedicated to the artist's father, a farm worker from the San Joaquin Valley, CA) (Sun Mad [ofrenda dedicada al padre de la artista, un campesino del Valle de San Joaquín, California]), 1989

  • Paintings

    Ester Hernández

    Sandra and Augustina Lora (Sandra y Agustina Lora), 2020

    2020 216 Web
  • Works on Paper

    Ester Hernández

    Tejido de los desaparecidos (Weaving of the Disappeared), N.D. / S.F.

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