Art and history renewed in Harlem
Conservation work has been completed on three historic murals and a sculpture at Harlem Hospital, according to NYC Health + Hospitals' Arts in Medicine program. The works are housed in the hospital's indoor mural pavilion.
The collection includes Charles Alston's companion murals "Magic in Medicine" and "Modern Medicine," both created in 1940, along with Vertis Hayes's eight-panel mural "Pursuit of Happiness" from 1937. The conservation project also covered a sculpture by John Rhoden.
Created during the New Deal era, the murals emerged as Black artists gained access to major public commissions through the Works Progress Administration's Federal Art Project. The designs initially faced objections over their focus on Black life, but public protest helped secure approval for the works.
Preserving the collection keeps an important chapter of American public art accessible within a living community institution. Its continued presence can help connect future generations with the artists and histories represented in Harlem.
