This mural is most likely a tribute to Isabel Allende and Pablo Neruda, both of whom made references to oranges in their work.

Allende wrote of a trip to northern Peru (in My Invented Country):  “Thirst was unquenchable. We drank water by the gallon, sucked oranges, and had a hard time defending ourselves from the dust, which crept into every cranny.”

And Neruda actually wrote a poem entitled: Ode to the Orange

Above is a block party on Mission Street.  Note the tourist with his camera watching the street artists at work and the folks dancing in the street.  There is a fruteria in the middle of the block depicted in the scene and it has its own street art (below) however don’t ask me to interpret this one.  I suspect they were selling more than fruit.

The one below could have been done by the same artist however it has a clear meaning. A woman giving birth to a baby and the ocean.  That one could give me nightmares.

Below is a gallery of this and that. The first two murals are depictions of Frida Kahlo, who along with her husband, is a patron saint of muralists.  The third I believe is a homage to rap stars although I only recognized a few of the names.  Then there’s a group of people gathered around a picture of the Pope (and that’s all I dare speculate on that one.) Of course I had to take a picture of Max sailing out to join the Wild Things.  It was one of my children’s favorite books.

The last one shows the Earth being held up by a couple of indigenous people while parrots hover.  In the lower right is a city bus full of people which seems to have been converted into a space shuttle. In the upper left the eagle clutching a snake could have many interpretations.  I can’t decide if the message of this mural is hopeful or worrisome.   The hope of the world resting on the backs of a few people.

Next time, the plug is pulled.