Honoring the Artists: A Retrospective Exhibition Celebrating 9 Years of San Jose Walls

As we gear up for the 2025 San Jose Walls Festival, we’re also taking a moment to look back—to honor the journey, the art, and most importantly, the artists who have helped shape San Jose’s public art movement over the past nine years.

Join us Saturday May 31, 6-9pm and come meet the artists you love to see on the walls throughout San Jose.

Foxtale Fermentation will be pouring your favorite kombucha, and DJ Soulseek will be setting the mood.

Since its debut in 2017, San Jose Walls has grown from a local initiative into an internationally recognized celebration of creativity, culture, and community. Along the way, it has transformed blank city walls into stories—vibrant, powerful, and deeply personal. These murals are more than paint—they’re moments, memories, and milestones etched into the city itself.

Now, in conjunction with this year’s festival, we're proud to present a special retrospective artist exhibition—a tribute to the incredible talent that has brought our vision to life.

A Decade of Impact, A Lifetime of Stories

Produced by Empire Seven Studios, which is itself celebrating 17 years of creative collaboration, this exhibition is our way of saying thank you. It's a gathering of past and present—a visual timeline of the bold voices, unique styles, and cultural perspectives that have made San Jose Walls what it is today.

You’re Invited!

The retrospective exhibition will debut during the 2025 San Jose Walls Festival, hosted at Empire Seven Studios in Japantown. We hope you’ll join us—whether you're from down the street or across the globe—for this special opening. Come reconnect with familiar works, discover new ones, and celebrate the artists who’ve helped paint the spirit of San Jose.

This is more than an exhibition—it’s a heartfelt reflection on what can happen when a community believes in the power of art. We can’t wait to share it with you.

Opening reception: Saturday, May 31 from 6:00-9:00pm
Exhibit on view: May 31 - July 5, 2025

Participating artists:
Amine Rastgar
Apexer
Casey Gray
Drew Roulette
Edgar Sanchez
Griffin
Harumo Sato
J.duh
Jacqueline de Leon
Jeff Meadows
Jet Martinez
Jordan Gabriel
Lauren Napolitano
Kensuke Takahashi
Kristin Farr
Kristina Micotti
Melissa Manuel
Mesngr
Ricky Watts
Roan Victor
Ruben Escalante
Ryan Bubnis
Sean Boyles
Shayne Oseguera
Spenser Little
TravMSK
Wisper