San Francisco Mission District-based artist Ester Hernandez (b. 1944) is a celebrated Chicana printmaker and storyteller. In iconic works such as Sun Mad, she deftly weaves urgent, incisive commentary with a bold visual language. This single-gallery presentation highlights a selection of artwork, writing, and other ephemera from the artist's archive at Stanford Special Collections. The grouping of material reveals that Hernandez's artwork and sociopolitical convictions have walked in lockstep since the very beginning of her career, shaped by her family's background as farmworkers in California's raisin belt in San Joaquin Valley, where she was born, and Hernandez's own life experiences. 

Stanford acquired Hernandez’s archive (Special Collections, M1301) in 2001.

The Cantor’s Archive Rooms highlight the rich art historical resources available right here at Stanford. These single-gallery, single-artist installations feature engaging selections from the robust holdings of Special Collections at Stanford Libraries, home to archives for Pacita Abad, Ruth Asawa, Bernice Bing, Lynn Hershman Leeson, Amalia Mesa-Baines, and other notable artists.