New Artwork Featuring Historic Photos of East Harlem Residents and the Young Lords Installed in New NYC Health + Hospitals/Metropolitan Floodwall
Artist Miguel Luciano’s public artwork incorporates historic photos by renowned photographer Hiram Maristany (1945-2022), a lifelong resident of East Harlem, a founding member of the Young Lords, and their official photographer The Young Lords, a Puerto Rican activist group in New York City in the 1960’s and 70’s, were outspoken in their activism against health disparities, calling for better access to tuberculosis screening, improved sanitation, free breakfast for children, and safe reproductive care Both Luciano and Maristany have works in the collections of major museums including The National Gallery of Art and The Smithsonian American Art Museum, and works from both artists are currently featured in the exhibition Shifting Landscapes at The Whitney Museum of American Art
Dec 03, 2024
New York, NY — NYC Health + Hospitals, the NYC Economic Development Corporation, and the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs today announced the installation of new artwork featuring historic photography that celebrates life in El Barrio in the 1960s-70s embedded in a floodwall surrounding NYC Health and Hospitals/Metropolitan in East Harlem. The artwork, Joy, Love and Resistance in El Barrio (2024) by artist Miguel Luciano, features historic, celebratory images of East Harlem residents by renowned photographer Hiram Maristany (1945-2022), a lifelong resident of East Harlem, a founding member of the Young Lords, and their official photographer. The Young Lords were a group of Puerto Rican activists in New York City in the 1960’s and 70’s. The group was outspoken in their activism against health disparities, calling for better access to tuberculosis screening, improved sanitation, free breakfast for children, and safe reproductive care, among other issues. As a tribute to Maristany’s legacy, Luciano reinterprets his historic photographs in a series of graphic compositions that introduce color, light, and reflective surfaces that invite the community to see itself reflected in this history, through moments of joy, compassion, resilience, and resistance. Both Luciano and Maristany have works in the collections of major museums including The National Gallery of Art and The Smithsonian American Art Museum, and works from both artists are currrently featured in the exhibition Shifting Landscapes at The Whitney Museum of American Art. Additional photos and video of the floodwall and photos of the artwork can be found here.
The floodwall and the art are funded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) following severe flooding from Superstorm Sandy in 2012 and intended to protect critical infrastructure and allow the hospital to continue operating during the next major storm. In 2019, Via Partnership, a public art consulting firm, working with NYC Health + Hospitals/Metropolitan, NYC Health + Hospitals’ Arts in Medicine Department, NYC Economic Development Corporation, NYC Department of Cultural Affairs and neighborhood arts professionals, facilitated the selection of Luciano to work collaboratively with the design team led by Stantec.
The piece is made of ceramic frit on tempered glass and was completed in November. One part of the work is set into the wall along 2nd Avenue (101 inches high by 85 feet wide), and the other part is installed along 1st Avenue in three sections (62 inches high by 95 feet wide).
“This is the second project Arts in Medicine has been a part of in recent years that underscores the significant contribution the Young Lords have had on public health,” said NYC Health + Hospitals Assistant Vice President of Arts in Medicine Larissa Trinder. “The first one – Legacy, a mural by artist Dister Rondon – depicts the 1970 takeover of Lincoln Hospital. Here, in Joy, Love and Resistance in El Barrio by artist Miguel Luciano, the viewer feels a renewed sense of place in the emotional reflections of Hiram Maristany’s images of East Harlem inhabitants. We are honored to be a part of a public art project that continues to raise the voices and experiences of this powerful community.”
“Miguel Luciano’s installation reflects the history and resilience of the people of East Harlem, and we are grateful to be the conduit for sharing this work with our community and each person who passes our walls,” said Julian John, CEO of NYC Health + Hospitals/Metropolitan. “This installation represents the essence of East Harlem and its history, and we are proud to be a part of it.”
“This extraordinary new artwork tells the still-vital story of the Young Lords and their impassioned activism for social justice in healthcare through the eyes of two artists: Miguel Luciano, who was commissioned through the city’s Percent for Art process for this project, and Hiram Maristany, who was the Young Lords’ official photographer and whose photos Luciano incorporated into his piece,” said NYC Cultural Affairs Commissioner Laurie Cumbo. “I’m so excited for this new, permanent public artwork to be installed in such a meaningful location, where this story of mutual aid and activism can continue to resonate for generations to come. Beyond the artwork’s role in conveying an important history of community-led advocacy for a healthier, safer city for all residents, the floodwall project it’s a part of is keeping New Yorkers and critical healthcare infrastructure secure in the face of a changing climate.”
“NYCEDC shares the Mayor’s commitment to taking bold action against climate change by building sustainable infrastructure that protects New Yorkers while also tapping into our local talent to help beautify the space,” said NYCEDC President and CEO Andrew Kimball. “We were proud to partner with Miguel Luciano, a local artist, to create artwork that exemplifies the diversity of our city and community.”
“What could have been nearly a half mile of imposing flood wall has become, through the excellent work of Miguel Luciano in collaboration with the design team, a place of reflection and joy for hospital visitors, East Harlem residents and passersby,” said Emily Blumenfeld, partner, Via Partnership. “Joy, Love and Resistance in El Barrio embodies the history and pride of El Barrio and brings it into our present to be experienced and enjoyed every day.”
“This artwork is a tribute to the legacy of East Harlem photographer Hiram Maristany in honor of his love and commitment to El Barrio,” said artist Miguel Luciano. “It celebrates the beauty and strength of our community’s history, from children playing in the fire hydrants in the summertime to community members marching with the Young Lords – the beauty of everyday people in moments of joy, play and resistance. Hiram Maristany was a dear friend and mentor, and I’m honored to be commemorating his legacy and sharing this beautiful public artwork with our community.”
Joy, Love and Resistance in El Barrio incorporates the following photos by Maristany from the Estate of Hiram Maristany:
- Alita, 1963
- Young Lords Cadre Member, 1970
- Drummers on 111th St., c. 1964
- Children at Play, 1965
- Hydrant: Hand, 1963
- Hydrant: In the Air, 1963
- Young Lords and Community Members March to Free the Panther 21, 1969
- March to Free the Panther 21, 1969
- Young Man with Roses, 1971
- Kids on Bikes, c.1970
- Gloria, c. 1970
Miguel Luciano is a multimedia visual artist whose work explores themes of history, popular culture, social justice and self-determination through painting, sculpture, and socially engaged public art projects. He is the recipient of the Mellon Foundation’s Latinx Artist Fellowship, A Blade of Grass Socially Engaged Art Fellowship, and Joan Mitchell Foundation Painters and Sculptors Award. His work is featured in the permanent collections of the National Gallery of Art, The Smithsonian American Art Museum, National Portrait Gallery, National Museum of African American History and Culture, The Brooklyn Museum, El Museo del Barrio, and the Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico. He lives and works in East Harlem.
Hiram Maristany (1945-2022) was a lifelong resident of East Harlem, a founding member of the Young Lords, and their official photographer. He was a prolific photographer who documented his community of Nuyoricans in East Harlem and offered a counterpoint to the negative imagery of Puerto Ricans in popular culture and media. He served as the director of El Museo del Barrio from 1974 to 1977. His work is featured in the permanent collections of The Smithsonian American Art Museum, The National Museum of African American History and Culture, and The Whitney Museum of American Art.
The NYC Health + Hospitals art collection dates back to the 1930s, when the Works Progress Administration’s Federal Art Project hired artists to create works for government buildings. Its collection of more than 7,500 artworks includes paintings, mosaics, photographs, sculptures, installation art, and murals by both emerging and established professional artists. The collection includes works by some of America’s leading artists, such as Jacob Lawrence, Romare Bearden, Helen Frankenthaler, Mary Frank, Betty Blayton, Candida Alvarez, Andy Warhol, Alexander Calder, and Keith Haring. More than an art collection, these works contribute to healing environments, activate spaces, engage staff, promote visual acuity, and expand access to the arts for 43,000 employees and more than 1.2 million patients who receive care NYC Health + Hospitals facilities. Nearly 850 works of art in NYC Health + Hospitals’ collection are available to view worldwide on the free Bloomberg Connects app, and these works now have informational wall text and a QR code leading to additional material on the app.
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About NYC Health + Hospitals
NYC Health + Hospitals is the largest municipal health care system in the nation. We are a network of 11 hospitals, trauma centers, neighborhood health centers, nursing homes, and post-acute care centers. We are a home care agency and a health plan, MetroPlus. Our health system provides essential services to more than one million New Yorkers every year in more than 70 locations across the city’s five boroughs. Our diverse workforce of more than 43,000 employees is uniquely focused on empowering New Yorkers, without exception, to live the healthiest life possible. For more information, visit www.nychealthandhospitals.org and stay connected on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.
About NYC Health + Hospitals/Metropolitan
NYC Health + Hospitals/Metropolitan is a 338-bed acute care teaching hospital located in East Harlem, a predominantly immigrant, working class community in northeastern Manhattan. Established in 1875 on Wards Island, it is one of the nation’s oldest public hospitals. It has been affiliated with New York Medical College since its founding, a relation that represents the oldest partnership between a hospital and a private medical school in the United States. NYC Health + Hospital/Metropolitan is the primary provider of health care and preventive medicine in the community and provides respectful, compassionate care regardless of a patient’s ability to pay. Learn more at www.nychealthandhospitals.org/metropolitan.
About NYC Health + Hospitals’ Arts in Medicine Department
The Arts in Medicine department at NYC Health + Hospitals seeks to foster the emotional well-being and promote healing and wellness for all patients and their families, employees, and the greater community by utilizing the arts, including literary, visual, and performing arts throughout the health care system. In addition to managing the system’s significant visual arts collection, the Arts in Medicine department encourages evidenced based practices and provides technical assistance to all of the system’s health care facilities and clinics. This is accomplished by combining artistic innovation and education into a comprehensive health care continuum that supports the healing benefits of the arts. For more information, visit www.nychealthandhospitals.org/artsinmedicine.
About NYCEDC
New York City Economic Development Corporation is a mission-driven, nonprofit organization that works for a vibrant, inclusive, and globally competitive economy for all New Yorkers. We take a comprehensive approach, through four main strategies: strengthen confidence in NYC as a great place to do business; grow innovative sectors with a focus on equity; build neighborhoods as places to live, learn, work, and play; and deliver sustainable infrastructure for communities and the City’s future economy. To learn more about what we do, visit us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram.
About NYC Department of Cultural Affairs
The New York City Department of Cultural Affairs (DCLA) is dedicated to supporting and strengthening New York City’s vibrant cultural life. DCLA works to promote and advocate for quality arts programming and to articulate the contribution made by the cultural community to the City’s vitality. The Department represents and serves nonprofit cultural organizations involved in the visual, literary, and performing arts; public-oriented science and humanities institutions including zoos, botanical gardens, and historic and preservation societies; and creative artists at all skill levels who live and work within the City’s five boroughs. DCLA also provides donated materials for arts programs offered by the public schools and cultural and social service groups, and commissions permanent works of public art at City-funded construction projects throughout the five boroughs. For more information visit www.nyc.gov/culture.
About Via Partnership
Via Partnership, LLP develops comprehensive public art strategies and facilitates public art projects. Working with public agencies, developers, cultural organizations and community groups, Via plans, curates and produces public art.