WPA Murals at Harlem Hospital Restored to Their Original Glory
A New Deal-era sculpture by John Rhoden was also included in the city's restoration project.
The Arts in Medicine department at NYC Health + Hospitals in Harlem has recently completed conservation work on three New Deal-era murals and a John Rhoden sculpture. These works, found in the hospital's mural pavilion, were created during a significant period in American history when Black artists were able to secure major public commissions through the Works Progress Administration's Federal Art Project.
The restoration project encompassed Charles Alston's "Magic in Medicine" (1940) and "Modern Medicine" (1940) murals, as well as Hayes' eight-panel "Pursuit of Happiness" (1937). Larissa Trinder, head of the Arts in Medicine program, informed Hyperallergic about the restoration efforts. In 1936, when these designs were submitted, hospital administrators objected to them, claiming there was "too much black subject matter." However, after artists publicly protested the decision, the hospital commissioner reversed it.
Written by urgent.news from Hyperallergic's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
